Typical menus for successful No-Sers?

[vmelo]

This is my third attempt at No-S, and I think one key reason I've failed the other times is that I just can't convince myself that this will work. I keep thinking, "I'll bet those who are losing on this are eating very little." I find that I'm constantly having to combat this defeatist attitude.

So, with that in mind, I was wondering if those who are successful No-S losers could post what a typical day's menu would look like for you. I'm not talking about those days where you overindulge or eat pizza for lunch and a cheeseburger for dinner (unless, of course, that's your typical menu). I'm talking about your normal day. Also, could you tell me how you handle S days, i.e., do you permasnack, do you allow yourself just one treat per day, etc.?

Thanks so much for any info. you can give me.

[Thalia]

I am not a fast loser. However, I AM a loser, and I'm not starving myself or feeling deprived!

My menus are really varied, but here are some N Day "dietary defaults"

Breakfast might be cold cereal with skim milk (I don't like any other kind) and fresh berries, or oatmeal with raisins, or a couple of frozen waffles and a piece of fruit, or a scrambled egg with toast. I butter my toast and waffes. I usually have a small glass of orange juice.

Lunch is often leftovers -- today I had a little spaghetti with fresh tomato-mushroom sauce, four small meatballs, and asparagus -- maybe five spears? I plate everything after I heat it up so I can see how much I'm eating and admire my pretty lunch. Other recent lunches include a tuna sandwich and some apricots, or lentil salad and cherries, or a leftover chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese and olives in wine sauce and a dab of lentil salad. sometimes I get ambitious and cook something just to have for lunches -- turkey loaf, or I made squash-and-chickpea salad, and I was eating that forever.

Dinner could be anything that fits on a plate! If we go out, I like somewhere that makes it easy to compose a plate for myself. Indian, Chinese and Thai are all good for this. If we get takeout pizza, I have found that two pieces fit nicely on a plate, and I'll have some salad too. Tonight we're having homemade pizza. Other recent dinners: Baked salmon, corn on the cob, and sauteed zucchini. Stir-fry, brown rice, and salad. Vegetarian pasta with cauliflower, herbs, olives, ricotta salata, and olive oil, green beans on the side. Cornflake-coated panfried chicken legs, roast potatoes, and a vegetable. Swiss chard and sausage frittata, and some kind of side dish -- um, probably green beans again?

I do not generally cook low-fat or use food substitutes. Real butter, real olive oil, if we roast a chicken I eat the skin on my piece. Good-quality cheese. We don't eat a lot of deep-fried foods because we've been trying to cook more and who wants to deal with that in a home kitchen? I try to include lots of fruit and vegetables, although honestly we could do better in that department. I cook fancy on the weekends (when I'm so inclined) and my husband does much more basic cooking during the week, because it's not a hobby for him the way it is for me. We have not been eating out a lot for budget reasons, and I think that really helps with portion control.

I hope this is useful!

[kccc]

Thalia, I want to come to your house for dinner! Yum!

I also do a lot of leftovers for lunch. My usual rule of thumb is to include 2 servings of fruit/veg at both lunch and dinner. If I have separate foods, I do "plate divisions" - 1/4 protein, 1/4 carb, 1/2 fruit/veg. Of course, with many dishes that's just an estimate.

Breakfast is usually fruit and oatmeal or yogurt or a bagel. Not always.

If you want a lot of menus, many people list them in their daily threads.

Hope this is helpful.

[vmelo]

Thanks, you guys. That really helps me because what you posted is not so different from (calorie-wise) what I'm eating. I wish I could just trust the program and go with it without needing constant reassurance.

Thalia, you mentioned that you are a slow loser. How much have you lost, and how long have you been at this?

I'm 41, weigh 168-169, and am 5 ft. 3. I try to exercise six days a week, for a total of about 1 1/2 - 2 hours of cardio and about an hour of weight lifting (3, 20-minute sessions per week). My goal is to get down to about 135. I don't mind doing it slowly, but I think I'd be upset if I lost less than 2 lbs. a month (If I'm being honest, I think I'd be disappointed with less than 3 lbs. a month).


KCCC thank you! I didn't realize there was actually a thread where people list their menus. I'm off to search for it.

[vmelo]

Okay---I'm an idiot, but I can't find a sticky for daily menus. What am I doing wrong?

[wosnes]

I keep thinking, "I'll bet those who are losing on this are eating very little."

There's something about this line of thinking that has me confused. Why would we be eating little while eating 3 meals daily as opposed to 3 meals and 2-3 snacks?

I'm one who probably does eat little -- but it works for me. I'm older and not nearly as active as I used to be and I just don't need the extra calories. Plus, I think a big secret of being satisfied with less is eating real food.

Breakfast -- if I eat it -- is usually whole grain toast, fruit and coffee. Sometimes a smoothie instead of the fruit and occasionally eggs (scrambled or fried in butter), toast, fruit and coffee.

My default lunch is soup. If I eat lunch at home, I eat soup, which I make from scratch 1-2/week. I rarely eat leftovers because I try not to have leftovers.

Dinners are much like Thalia reports. I also don't generally cook low-fat or use substitutes. I'm very careful about where I eat when I eat out. I now choose primarily restaurants that make their own food from scratch. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where a handful of places do that. I try to avoid chains and fast-food places.

[wosnes]

Okay---I'm an idiot, but I can't find a sticky for daily menus. What am I doing wrong?

I think what you're looking for is here:
http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewforum.php?f=8

[kccc]

Okay---I'm an idiot, but I can't find a sticky for daily menus. What am I doing wrong?

I think what you're looking for is here:
http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewforum.php?f=8

Yes, that's what I meant - the forum for everyone's daily check in.

Not everyone includes menus on their daily thread, but a lot do. I did for a while, quit for a while, and am now doing it again.

[vmelo]

There's something about this line of thinking that has me confused. Why would we be eating little while eating 3 meals daily as opposed to 3 meals and 2-3 snacks?

Sorry for the confusion, wosnes. I had seen some posts on the board where people were eating bran flakes and skim milk for breakfast and a Lean Cuisine for lunch, and that got me to thinking, "No wonder those people are losing weight!" Thus, my question. Thanks for your info.

[Thalia]

I have been No S'ing since the beginning of January and have lost 15 pounds. I had a fairly substantial loss in the first months, and lately have been losing about a pound and a half a month -- not rapid weightloss, but it is coming off!

I'm 42 and around 5'7" or 5'7 1/2" tall, and started at 190.5 pounds. This morning I am 175.5. I am fairly active on the weekends, walking or swimming, and I take the stairs at work instead of the elevator -- but I have a sedentary job, I am not working out, and I don't get nearly as much exercise as I should. I'm afraid a lot of the blame for my leisurely weightloss is on my lack of activity!

I really was afraid when I started this that three full meals of real food a day would be too many calories and I wouldn't lose weight -- but I was wrong.

[vmelo]

Wow, Thalia----your post is really encouraging to me. We're about the same age, and your menus seem to be about the same number of calories as my meals. Your post gives me hope! I need to lose about 35 lbs. to be where I want to be. However, there's a point at which I can't look myself in the mirror because I've gained so much weight, and I'm at that point now, so even a 15-pound loss would do wonders for my self-esteem. So, if I average 3 lbs. a month, I'd be very happy with that (even if most of it came off during the first couple of months).

Congratulations on your success with this way of eating!

[kccc]

Ah, I see - you were reading a lot of diet-sounding posts, and wondering about that.

Nope, I eat real food. If you look at my own thread this week, there's a whole digression on the joys of homemade bread, which I eat with real butter. I do use 2% milk, but that's because I like it better - no other fat-free stuff.

I do like fruits/veg, and I do tend to cook in healthy ways most of the time(hate frying). But I don't worry about a little added olive oil or the like, and the portions are substantial enough to hold me - definitely larger meals than I used to eat in my diet days. If you cut out high-calorie snacks, you can "afford" more at meals and still lose/maintain.

I won't say that I can eat ANYTHING on No-S - I'm over 50, and the metabolism has slowed, alas. If I ate fast food all week, I'd gain. However, I can eat what is "normal" for me, and do just fine, and I am fine with that.

(If you want to see all my stats, I have a thread on the "testimonial" forum that has everything.)

Also, I think that as you limit your eating to meals, you gradually make healthier choices - not as a diet requirement, but just part of being more in tune with what your body needs. Tastes gradually change over time, but it's not a hardship like it might be with another diet. (You know, the ones that insist "eat this!" and it tastes like cardboard because it's too different from what you had been eating...)

[vmelo]

Thanks, KCCC. Your eating sounds a lot like mine, too: I actually really like healthy foods---salads, hummus, fruits, oatmeal, etc. Also, lately, I've been trying to prepare my foods in healthier ways--grilling, broiling etc. In the past, my husband used to cook, and he tends to cook like Emeril---throw a stick of butter in, fry with it, add some wine. Also, let's not forget the pasta on the side. Obviously, to eat like that and not gain weight, I'd have to eat a tiny portion, and I don't feel satisfied with that afterwards. So, I'm grilling and broiling and baking and braising---and that's fine because I like those tastes, too.

And, yes, I guess too much reading may be detrimental to me as it concerns this diet. It seems that what I see are posts from those who eat Lean Cuisines for lunch or on the other end of the spectrum, those who eat cheeseburgers for lunch. I just wanted to reassure myself that others eat as I do.

Thanks for your post, and I'll check out your "check-in."

[wosnes]

I won't say that I can eat ANYTHING on No-S - I'm over 50, and the metabolism has slowed, alas. If I ate fast food all week, I'd gain. However, I can eat what is "normal" for me, and do just fine, and I am fine with that.

I'm over 50 (actually, over 60) and there's NOTHING I can't eat. However, there are a lot of things I can't eat frequently.

[Ms]

I have been No S'ing since the beginning of January and have lost 15 pounds. I had a fairly substantial loss in the first months, and lately have been losing about a pound and a half a month -- not rapid weightloss, but it is coming off!

I'm 42 and around 5'7" or 5'7 1/2" tall, and started at 190.5 pounds. This morning I am 175.5. I am fairly active on the weekends, walking or swimming, and I take the stairs at work instead of the elevator -- but I have a sedentary job, I am not working out, and I don't get nearly as much exercise as I should. I'm afraid a lot of the blame for my leisurely weightloss is on my lack of activity!

I really was afraid when I started this that three full meals of real food a day would be too many calories and I wouldn't lose weight -- but I was wrong.

Thalia I always find your posts to be encouraging and helpful, and now that I've learned that we're the same height, I find you even more inspiring! Even though this isn't my thread, I must thank you for replying to posts and for posting details of your no-s lifestyle on the bulletin board.

[Thalia]

Oh, thank you!

[la_loser]

To echo what some others have said, No S is all about eating real foods at mealtimes and treating yourself on special days in moderation. (The Don't Be An Idiot Rule!).

Those of us who have lived with a "diet" (read four letter word!) mentality for so long have to truly retrain our brains (through new habits!) to get back to basics and realize that we don't have to punish ourselves or restrict ourselves in order to normalize our eating patterns which will in turn and in time, lots of time, result in weight loss.

Sure, if you're in a time crunch for lunch, and you actually LIKE Lean Cuisines or whatever, you can eat those--but it's not required. For example, yesterday, I was at Long John Silver for lunch and although the fried fish would have been legal (and I love that stuff!), I made the choice of getting their 350 calorie "light meal" with two pieces of salmon, rice pilaf and sauteed veggies. . .

But continuing to purchase "diet" foods or shakes (yuk-I never ever felt the least bit satisfied with any kind of Slim-Fast or anything like it.), eat real foods in sensible portion sizes. Eat the same things you're serving to your family or that others are eating when you're dining out. . . You're much more likely to stick with it when you're acting like a real person and can get away from that restrictive mentality. We call the SAD Diets (Substance Accounting Diets) and they make me sad!

We do have a few members who post here who have made some fairly significant modifications to No S or are not truly following No S because they are doing something more radical. They will probably lose faster than the rest of us. Time will tell if the diet or the loss will be sustainable.

So it's probably easy to misinterpret various posts and think you should be making this harder than it really is.

OK-now I'm off to our big end of school potluck luncheon where I will partake of whatever I want-and mark this a big YELLOW on my HabitCal because ending a school year is a pretty huge thing. Woo Hoo--my 36th end of the year BASH!

[Hunter Gatherer]

These days I eat much differently than when I first started No-S. It has been a gradual change, so let me give you early and late examples.

The old days (possibly slightly inaccurate):

Breakfast - Bowl filled with cereal and added nuts and raisins. (The recommended serving size is never enough to fill the bowl, I fill the bowl.)

Lunch - Random collection of available foods that fit on one plate, usually not a lot of space (read "any") left on the plate.

Dinner - Same as lunch. When I say random I mean random. Handful of almonds, baked beans, lasagna, oatcake, orange, roll, hard cheese, grapefruit, dried fruit, chips and picante sauce, soft cheese, Chinese leftovers, soup, a spicy chicken sandwich from a fast food place, whatever. Once again no room on the plate.

These days:

Breakfast - Blueberry bagel with or without cream cheese (usually without) not one of those small bagels either. I'd like to note that the idea of only eating a bagel for breakfast would have been impossible in the early days of No-S, I just couldn't have managed it

Lunch - Cafeteria at work, usually the vegetable plate (three of the vegetables they offer) and I'm pretty sure they use butter often and amply. Sometimes I just get a bowl of soup and a roll, sometimes I get the chili-cheeseburger with curly fries. Extremely virtuous days would be a plate of salad bar with no dressing (I'm not a big dressing fan, not for calorie-elimination reasons).

Dinner - Extremely variable. Entire plate of Chinese food, quesadilla dinner, yogurt and bread, soup, beef stroganoff, fruit and bread, cheese and bread, whatever.

[vmsurbat]

I just took down my last week's menu and thought I would list the dinner meals we actually had.

Breakfast is usually variations on homemade bread/muffin/scone/pancake, sometimes with an egg, always with milk, juice, AND coffee.

Lunch-type meals (our supper actually) are leftovers, soups, sandwiches, fruit.

Main meals for a week:

1. Oven-roasted chicken (with skin, Fine Cooking recipe), rice pilaf, cucumber salad, fruit salad

2. Curried Lentils and Potatoes with Yogurt Garlic sauce, homemade chapatis, Summer squash saute, sliced tomatoes

3. Pork Chops with Fresh Mushroom sauce, oven-roasted potatoes, sauteed swiss chard, pickled beets, bread and butter

4. Homemade Pizza (cheese, pepperoni, veggies, yum!), leafy lettuce salad (This is an S-day meal; usually have a largish dessert with a light evening meal for Family Night)

5. Chile con carne, corn muffins with butter and honey, oranges

6. Beef cutlets with gravy, mashed potatoes, cabbage salad, steamed and buttered carrots, homemade bread, Mississippi Mud Pie for dessert (S-day meal, obviously!)

7. Breakfast Casserole (eggs, bread, cheese, seasonings), bacon strips, caramelized onions, roasted red pepper salad, swiss chard.

I've been NoSing for more than 10 months and have lost @ 30 lbs.

For me, it is all about eating 3 *good* meals a day, every day. Since I am only 5'2", I vary my plate size: my main meal fills a dinner-sized plate, the other two meals are on smaller plates. I am not fanatical about this (it is not a "rule") but it certainly makes me feel better not to be eating *too* much by using a largish plate for every meal.

HTH,

[vmelo]

Hunter Gatherer, the randomness of your dinner made me smile. That looks about as random as my dinners when I restart No-S every time. It's as if I say, "I want 5 different things, and I have to eat them all at one meal!"

Thanks for posting your menus, Vicki. I'm encouraged by your progress. I, too, am petite (sounds better than "short," doesn't it?), so the fact that you're 5 ft. 2 and still eat as you do and have lost weight is an inspiration. Do you exercise much? For the last couple of months, I've gotten back on the exercise wagon. I try to work out 5-6 days a week, about 30-40 minutes a shot.

[mimi]

Congrats to you vmsurbat! What an accomplishment! Maybe that will be me too in 10 months!

Mimi

[vmsurbat]

so the fact that you're 5 ft. 2 and still eat as you do and have lost weight is an inspiration. Do you exercise much? For the last couple of months, I've gotten back on the exercise wagon. I try to work out 5-6 days a week, about 30-40 minutes a shot.

I'll outline my exercise-work-in-progress.

PreNoS: did very little consistent exercise due to injuries (shoulder and ankle).

Starting NoS: Figured out that walking was the one exercise that wouldn't hurt my shoulder and would be good for my ankle. Got myself a pedometer and was shocked (and disheartened) to find out that my "average" daily steps without trying to exercise was a measly 3000 steps. Made it a goal to get at least 5000 steps daily, preferably 7000+. This was doable because it was summertime.

Wintertime: Got so my "average" daily steps is close to 5000 (ie., I just move more consistently during the day), exercise increases # of steps. Weather is awful so in the afternoons I followed a 15-20 minute "easy" T-Tapp exercise video *most* N days. If I was able to, I walked outside instead of doing the video.

Beginning Feb: Wanted to add a stretching-type/core muscle building routine to my day so I got a book that was written by a physical therapist (Peggy Brill, The Core Program ) which outlines a Core conditioning program in 15 minutes a day. It has three levels of "conditioning" built into it: Foundational, Intermediate, Ultimate

Now: Every N day I complete the core Intermediate program. It really does just takes 15 minutes a day and targets abdomen (the first thing that has helped my stomach since 5 babies eons ago), back, arms, legs. I am REALLY happy with this program as I feel like I am building toned muscle inside and out. Like NoS, it is a slow-but-steady program. When I first started, getting to the Intermediate level was my top goal, but now that I am here, I think I *will* be able to reach the Ultimate fitness level by the end of summer.

With the weather warming up, my goal this summer will be to get my average steps (without trying, just making a *habit* of moving more in every day life) to 7000 steps, with 10,000+ as a goal for N days.

I found, that for me, exercise videos are a help in the winter months, but 1. get boring (so I am going to be investing in some new ones come this fall) and 2. can lead to repetitive-type injuries (Always a concern for me with my shoulder (esp) and ankle problems).

This is what is working for me. Best thing is to find 1. something you can do (and enjoy reasonably well) and 2. do it. Like NoS, the details are best left up to us as individuals. However, I am firmly convinced that moderate eating and moderate exercise *will* lead to a healthy body.

HTH,

[Boa Vista]

I'm new to the NoS diet. I am trying hard to hold to the Michael Pollan mantra: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Plus, I would add: served on three plates a day. Some of my meals are medleys including lots of veggies, but sometimes I have a plate of 1/3 protein-concentrated food, with the rest of the 2/3 plate devoted to fruits and vegetables.

Since I'm a veteran dieter who has done her share of canned diet shakes, meal bars, lousy calorie-reduced frozen dinners and the like, I'm enjoying the freedom of cooking real food. So, for now, most of my meals are home-cooked. While I'm not a diagnosed celiac, I avoid gluten because it tends to irritate my sinuses. I've also been a vegetarian for over 30 years, so I'm not stopping that!

Typical menus:

Breakfast:

Cheese-vegetable omelet with salad (either fruit or tossed green salad with mild balsamic dressing)

0r: Oatmeal with raisins, flaxseed & soymilk. Again with salad.

Or: Gluten free toast (millet/flaxseed) with peanut butter. Yet again with salad.

Lunch:

Usually leftovers from previous night's dinner.

Or: Homemade vegetable soup with salad.

Or: Baked potato with roasted vegetables with a bit of cheese.

Dinner:

Indian: Pappadum (spicy lentil cracker) with chutney; Potato-pea curry

Mexican: Spicy black beans with peppers and onions; yellow rice; cucumber salad.

Japanese: Small bowl miso soup; Veggie nori rolls; vegetable teriyaki with tofu

Pasta: Homemade gluten- free baked mac & cheese; roasted vegetables; pickled beets

Italian: Gluten-free Veggie lasagne; peas & onions; small tossed salad

Bean dinner: Braised lentils or chickpeas; twice-baked potato with cheese; roasted root vegetables

Veggie platter: Grilled marinated portabellas; Paprika-spiced home fries made with last night's leftover baked potatoes; Aztec salad with corn, black beans, celery and cilantro.

French: Socca (chickpea flatbread pizza) topped with veggies and cheese; Salad

Chinese: Veggie stuffed rice paper rolls with sauce; deep-fried tofu & vegetable stir-fry; Jasmine rice

Lots more where that came from! I'm enjoying cooking real food!

[vmelo]

Boa Vista, I smiled when I read that you eat a salad with breakfast. My husband and I lived on a French island for six months, and he just couldn't fathom why every time he ordered an omelet, it was served with a bit of salad on the side of the plate (he's not a big vegetable eater, so he'd always leave it).

My grandmother who lived in Israel used to regularly eat sliced tomatoes and cucumbers as part of her breakfast.

Why does it seem as if other societies have better eating habits than Americans? (Maybe that's just my "grass is always greener" perception).

Thanks for sharing!

[Boa Vista]

I just started the veggies at breakfast last year, and have stuck with it. The protein/veggie breakfast seems to give me lots of energy when I need it, and very importantly, satisfies me till lunch.

I aim to get my vegetable quota of at least 5-a-day, but feel most successful if I've accomplished that by noon. Then, if I want something beige and carbie for dinner, I don't feel as much under pressure. But, I sure wish that American culture would support this lifestyle. I can do it easier when I'm home, but when I'm not and haven't planned well, only Asian restaurants allow me to meet my objectives. Eating breakfast out is usually hopeless unless I can order off the menu and make substitutions.

And, you know something....the idea of salad for breakfast came to me after going to a Jewish deli a couple years ago. After serving me, the owner had no customers, and sat down with a friend to eat his own breakfast: You guessed it--cucumber tomato salad with a light dressing. I was sold!

Oh, and I forgot my Middle Eastern dinner:

Mediterranean platter: Greek salad; mjeddrah; falafel balls with tahini sauce.

[vmelo]

Oh, and I forgot my Middle Eastern dinner:

Mediterranean platter: Greek salad; mjeddrah; falafel balls with tahini sauce.

Yum!

[bonnieUK]

I quite like the salad with breakfast idea too. It's something I've been doing more lately since trying out higher protein breakfasts (which often consist of tofu or eggs, both of which go well with some sliced tomatoes and cucumbers).

I got the salad idea after a holiday in Turkey where the typical breakfast served in our hotel was bread, butter, boiled eggs, lots of cucumber & tomato salad (they also had sliced cheese and meat which I don't eat).

They sometimes had roast potatoes and/or other roast veggies but these were usually gone by the time I dragged DH out of bed and to the dining area

Definitely a better idea than plain breakfast cereals IMO.

Going back to vmelo's original post, I'm definitely finding it much easier when I've had a good substantial breakfast, perhaps that is something worth trying?

[bonnieUK]

p.s. I just thought I'd mention that all the Turkish people I met were quite slim and healthy (not necessarily skinny, but not overweight either) and the ones I stayed with ate the breakfast mentioned above, plus a substantial lunch, afternoon tea with a piece of cake and dinner (dinner was quite light, with lots of veggies & salads) every day.

Just a side note someone there told me that the hotel used to have an unlimited free alcaholic drinks policy, which was fine for Turkish people but they had to start putting limits in place when they got more British tourists!

[bluebunny27]

I eat salads once or twice a day everyday now ... I mix in all sorts of veggies.

Carrots, Celery, Cucumber, peas, potatoes (whenever I make some in the oven I make sure to cook some extra and I keep them in plastic containers, I really like them cold in salads too !) Bell peppers, radishes, tomatoes, etc. The other day I was eating a salad and a friend was asking me if I was a vegetarian now, lol !

Hum, no ... but I do eat more veggies and less meat than before. I have a small main meal and a big salad on the side, 1/3 vs 2/3's of the plate.

I eat legumes more often, chickpeas, lentils, white kidney beans, etc. I often add those to my salads, one hard boiled egg as well, good proteins.

Bulgur (spelling), rice or couscous, sprinkled on my salads ... mix all this up and I even started experimenting trying to find a good homemade salad dressing (vinaigrette) recipe... since I didn't like the idea of adding too much mayonnaise or commercial salad dressing in there.

Cheers !

bluebunny27

Disclaimer : I am following a more extreme version of the 'No-S' diet.
I made my own personal modifications to the original plan (Diet & Exercise)
What I am doing should not be misinterpreted as being a typical 'No-S' diet experience.
11/01/2008 : 280.0 pounds - - - 06/16/2009 : 211.6 pounds
7 months 16 days / 68.4 pounds

[bonnieUK]

Last week I had possibly the best most succesful N days ever (after making tweaks to my diet to up protein intake) and thought I'd share what I ate on a typical day:

Breakfast: 2 slices wholegrain toast with butter, sliced tofu, sliced cucumbers & tomatoes.

Second breakfast - yeah, I'm a hobbit : Purple protein shake* a few pecan nuts.

Lunch: tuna & salad sandwich on wholegrain bread with butter. 1 cup chickpea & tomato curry. 1/2 cup almonds.

Dinner: 2 quorn fillets in tomato sauce, green beans, tomato & avocado salad, 2/3 cup brown rice.

No sweet cravings, no desire for seconds, no feeling stuffed/overful, just pleasantly satisfied woo hoo

This may seem like a lot of food but I do a lot of urban rangering, so I guess I use it.

*protein shake = blended 1 cup soy milk, 1 tbs ground flax seeds, 1 scoop vegan rice protein powder, 1 tbs blueberries for a fun colour and hint of sweetness.

[jenglish]

I am finding that protein staves off my hunger. Protein rich meals keep me feeling full until the next meal. Often a protein loaded breakfast will keep my hunger at bay long past lunchtime. I shoot for at least 50 grams of protein a day.

My N day BREAKFASTS consist of any combinations of the following:
H2Orange
Yogurt w/walnuts
Uncle Sam’s cereal w/yogurt
Uncle Sam’s cereal w/Vanilla Almond Breeze.
(I am not a fan of milk, I am a firm believer that milk is meant to nourish baby cows, not human adults
2 eggs*(I buy Natures Harmony eggs. They do not have cholesterol and they do have Omegs-3’s) boiled or scrambled, sometimes I make an egg salad sandwich on Ezekiel Bread
2 egg omelet w/spinach or Swiss chard, feta cheese, tomatoes, and mushrooms, sometimes I add leftover shrimp or chicken and I always have 1 slice of Ezekiel toast w/apple butter.
Whole grain or Bran muffins
Local grown seasonal fresh fruits
Leftovers from dinner, especially beans and whole grains


My N day LUNCHES consist of any combination of the following:
H2Orange
Soup
Miso Soup
Sandwich w/lean deli meats or leftover meat from dinner
Salad w/ lean deli meats or leftover meat from dinner
Tabouli
Beans, pinto, Lima, butter peas, butter beans, black beans, cannellini over rice or whole grains.
I use leftover beans to make bean cakes
Leftovers
Local grown seasonal fresh fruits


My N day DINNERS consist of any combination of the following:
H2Orange
Local grown seasonal vegetables grilled and served over brown or wild rice or a protein rich grain w/ Kimchi.
Right now, my local grown seasonal veggies are summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, cabbage, peas, cukes, onions, and cherry tomatoes
I am also learning to substitute protein rich grains, millet, quinoa, bulgur wheat, whole wheat couscous for potatoes and white pasta. I find I like them more than whole wheat pasta.
Beans, lentils, black beans, cannellini Beans.
I use leftover beans to make bean cakes
Grilled meats and seafood. Organic chicken, fish, wild caught salmon, fresh tuna, shrimp, lamb, pork tenderloin, grass fed beef. I tend to eat more pork, seafood or chicken. If I eat chicken, I prefer free range chickens or chickens raised without drugs. I generally marinade meat for flavor and tenderness and I serve it in thinly sliced portions rather than one piece, thinly sliced pieces make me think I have more meat.
Local grown seasonal fresh fruits


There are so many ways to serve my choices. Sometimes I stuff cabbage leaves or green, red or orange peppers with ground meat, onions and chopped veggies, cover them in a homemade tomato sauce and bake them. I place thinly sliced meat on top of my salad. I make my salad dressings. Lemon Tahini is one of my favorites and it goes well with almost everything. I eat meatless meals twice a week, substituting protein rich grains, beans and bean cakes for meats.

S DAYS
I am so sick and tired of being overweight, that I am determined to make this work. On S days I do not set limits, but I do set boundaries.


I realized I DO NOT HAVE TO SNACK or HAVE SECONDS. I carry the spirit of that BOUNDARY into my S days.
I make my treats from scratch, AND I HALVE ALL RECIPIES BEFORE I MAKE THEM.
I serve my treat on a saucer and I sit at the dining room table.
I eat my treat real slow, no gobbling it down between commercials.


I will bake a half Oooey Gooey Butter Cake and enjoy a square or three over the weekend. I will make a half key lime or lemon pie and enjoy a slice or three over the weekend. I will buy a Pint of ice cream. I will make a big bowl of salsa (salsa is great over eggs or grilled meats and veggies, I can use it during the week.)

My first S days, I did perma graze, but my portions were small. By the third set of S days I started to be able to tell the difference between when I was hungry and when I just wanted to eat something. Recognizing those feelings were a big breakthrough for me. Now I know I just WANT the treat, I control the portion. Taking the time to bake or make my treats lets me to know that I must really want them.

Now, on S days, I may want a piece of fruit between meals and I will have it. I may want a piece of Oooey Gooey Butter Cake after dinner and I will have it. I may want a slice of Key Lime pie while before bed and I will have it, knowing that tomorrow is just a day away.

[Nichole]

Breakfast: Cereal, Skim milk
Lunch: Salad of some sort with a little chicken OR left overs
Dinner: Homecooked meal w/mostly veggies/salad

S Days: I try not to deviate too much. I do have a little bit of a treat but I try to keep it below 500 calories, like a small chocolate ice cream in a cup from Dairy Queen.

And if I'm really hungry I have a snack of yogurt. I've lost 8 lbs since really committing last month. 2 lbs to go til my goal weight. Then I MIGHT set a new goal, if I ever manage to get to 140!!

[xJocelynx87]

It's been about a month since I've recommitted to No-S...and it's been great! No red days so far! One of the secrets of my success is eating what I REALLY want, while still keeping it healthy. Healthy eating and living will be my profession, once I have my degree, so I try to practice what I (hope to) preach! Anyway...

On N-Days...

Breakfast - Most often, a bowl of healthy cereal with milk, fruit, and coffee. I prefer 1% when I'm on my own at school, but since it's summer and I'm at home with my family, I drink what they drink, which is 2%. I also use REAL half & half and sugar in my coffee. If I'm tired/bored with cereal, I'll have a whole wheat english muffin or mini bagel with peanut butter and jelly, milk, fruit, and coffee. This serves as a nice change and helps me get a variety of nutrients in my diet. Very occasionally, I'll have whole grain waffles in place of the toast.

Lunch - Some options include a turkey and cheese sandwich with REAL mayonnaise on a roll with lettuce or other veggies, and either a side salad or a piece of fruit. If I don't have that, I'll most likely have an Amy's organic entree, pizza, or burrito (I cannot say enough good things about Amy's!) About once per week I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread with fruit and a glass of milk. Once or twice per week I may grab lunch out and get either a salad, soup, or a sandwich that I don't usually make at home.

Dinner - This could be anything. Now that I'm at home, I eat whatever my family is eating. However, at school where I cook for myself, I always make sure to have something healthy. Maybe a piece of chicken, fish, or lean beaf with frozen vegetables and brown rice or a baked sweet potato. Another option is whole wheat pasta with tomato & basil sauce and either a homemade salad or one of those caesar salads that comes with all the ingredients (love them!)

On S-Days...

Saturdays and Sundays are my days to sleep in so I usually forgo breakfast in favor of a big or decadent brunch. One day you'll likely find me sitting in the Starbucks cafe inside Barnes & Noble reading fitness/tabloid magazines, eating a giant pastry, and drinking a sweet coffee concoction. This really is one of my greatest pleasures. Other days, I may have eggs or pancakes with my family, or go to the local bagel shop and get coffee and a breakfast sandwich or bagel with cream cheese.

I've pretty much given up snacks. However, the one that I cannot let go of is chips and guacamole. After brunch, if I get hungry in the afternoon, I'll definitely have some. Other than that, I try to save my appetite and have a big yummy dinner. Saturday is my family's night to go out to dinner, and I get whatever I want, but try to listen to my body and stop when I'm full and not OD on the bread basket. MOST of the time, this strategy works. On sundays, my mom usually cooks a big dinner and we all eat together. I NEVER miss dessert on S-days, because I love sweets. However, I've learned which ones I really enjoy, and which ones I'm just eating because I can. Some sweets that are really worth it to me are PISTACHIO ICECREAM, homemade or high-end bakery baked goods, or some really good dark chocolate.

I've only been doing this seriously for a month and a half, after trying many times before, and I only have about 15lbs to lose. However, what I have outlined above is similiar to how I plan to eat FOREVER, and with three years of undergraduate education in nutrition, please heed my advice when I say that you really do not have to be perfect. Eat what you want, within reason, and within the limits of No-S. Oh, and try to exercise! I wouldn't be being true to my future profession if I forgot to mention that!
Wow, this is alot longer than I thought it was going to be!
Good luck and happy eating!

Jocelyn