Everyday Systems

Just had to say it. Treats are nice rewards, and I need not regret a thing!

Ditto!!!

I hear ya.

Sorta like when I was little, we would have a special Sunday dinner with dessert like a cake or pie or homemade ice cream..

And we enjoyed every bite.

Get this -- My two younger daughters, ages 8 and 10, are now on The S Day Diet. It's lasted just a few days, but it's been nice for me. Today we went to a pool, and my 10 year old asked about getting treats and then said -- oh, can't.

She thinks it's worth the wait to have root beer floats on Sunday.

Me, too! I've been making homemade challah bread on the weekends. Plus blueberry pie. There's something so wonderful about enjoying home-baked stuff on the weekends. So much better than shoveling in oreos all week.

Me too. Nice to hear once in a while!

So many people seem to be so afraid of them!

Reinhard

Mistress Manners wrote:Me, too! I've been making homemade challah bread on the weekends. Plus blueberry pie. There's something so wonderful about enjoying home-baked stuff on the weekends. So much better than shoveling in oreos all week.

I don't know oreos are sounding pretty good right now. But seriously, I know what you mean about making your sweets count on S days. I have been craving this green jello salad and I think I am going to make it this weekend. I know that doesn't sound like much of a sweet, but it is made with Eagle Brand milk and it is so yummy.

Is it normal to be craving sweets. This is my first week, I assume this part gets easier.

Maggie

Is it normal to be craving sweets. This is my first week, I assume this part gets easier.

Yes, I think it's normal...at least it was for me. It does get easier - much easier! The N days just zip by, it seems, and the weekends are here before I know it. I try to be very selective with my sweet treats now - no junkie stuff, if you know what I mean. I made a trip into Panera'a a few weeks ago just to get a toffee-not cookie (my new favorite treat!)....or a blizzard from Dairy Queen, or maybe I'll go and buy just one slice of a layer cake...I make my treats special. I don't keep sweets in the house, after having a few red days in a row right after Mother's Day. This approach has been working very well for me!

Mimi

maggie wrote:Is it normal to be craving sweets. This is my first week, I assume this part gets easier.

Maggie

I'm in the same boat. I just restarted on Sunday, and the first couple of days were deadly for me. It's getting easier as the week progresses, though. I've found this to be true in past attempts as well.

I'll admit, I haven't reigned-in my behaviors on S-Days yet. I actually don't care to reign them in at this point. At this point in my habit-building, I think cracking down on S-Days would be a mistake. I'm really letting the S-Days be as decadent as I care to have them as I build my N-Day habits. My assumption is that as the N-Day habits improve and become more automatic, the S-Day eating will become less excessive without any real effort. Why (prematurely) force something that will just put more pressure on you-especially where it's not necessary and could de-rail the whole process? Don't many of us (myself!) tie in stress, pressure, and anxiety to overeating and other unhealthy activities? This diet isn't about punishing old excess, it's about correcting it to improve the quality of your life.

storm fox,

That was exactly my approach to this diet. I will never again eat 4,000 calories worth of caramel macademian clusters because I did not feel great afterwards. The body is an excellent teacher. I have found that my eating habits during the week are improving.

My motto for this diet is "Wait until Sunday." I've been on more diets than I can count where the approach is "I will feel like this for the rest of my life, and I am starving." It's much easier to think, "I can stand how I feel until Sunday."

Actually, I feel great!

Kathleen

Kathleen,
yes, the body is a great teacher! I ate a funnel cake on Sunday, and for hours afterward, felt terrible. I could've had a quarter of it and had all of the pleasure and none of the pain. As it stands, I don't think I'll be attempting any portion of a funnel cake for a while. Many treats are tastier and thus worth being good all week.

storm fox wrote:I'll admit, I haven't reigned-in my behaviors on S-Days yet. I actually don't care to reign them in at this point. At this point in my habit-building, I think cracking down on S-Days would be a mistake. I'm really letting the S-Days be as decadent as I care to have them as I build my N-Day habits. My assumption is that as the N-Day habits improve and become more automatic, the S-Day eating will become less excessive without any real effort. Why (prematurely) force something that will just put more pressure on you-especially where it's not necessary and could de-rail the whole process? Don't many of us (myself!) tie in stress, pressure, and anxiety to overeating and other unhealthy activities? This diet isn't about punishing old excess, it's about correcting it to improve the quality of your life.

Very well said - and spot on, in my experience. All your assumptions have proven true for me, despite my long dieting history. S-days still fluctuate depending on external circumstances (I still eat more when stressed - but only on S-days now!), but the overall TREND has been positive. Even the "wild" days are really not that bad in comparison to the past. My latest "aha" moment was when I realized I didn't like snacking on S-days -- not a restriction, not an "I shouldn't," but a simple recognition that I genuinely don't WANT them.

No-S habits address the deep emotional level that is not particularly amendable to reason. Over time, your body starts to BELIEVE it will be fed decently, and stops being in panic mode - and your mind eventually follows.

And you are SO RIGHT that focusing on the N-days is the best approach, and that the S-days will self-correct over time.