It's time...

No Snacks, no sweets, no seconds. Except on Days that start with S. Too simple for you? Simple is why it works. Look here for questions, introductions, support, success stories.

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aoc
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It's time...

Post by aoc » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:05 pm

Hi! I read the No S book last October after stumbling across it in Barnes & Noble. Since then, I have also been reading the board posts here nearly every day. However, I have never found the courage to either post a message to the board or to even actually do No S. And now I am sad because if I had commited to No S back when I first heard of it, I'd probably be feeling much better and I certainly would be eating much better by now. But I can't change the past. So, it's time to start for real. I don't want next October (2010) to come and find myself saying the same thing (if only I had started last year).

I am definitely the type of person who has to wait for a "good" time to start dieting: the first day of a new week, the first day of a new month, the first day of a new year. Don't get me wrong, I have had many starts on No S. I have chugged lots of Coke on a Sunday in anticipation of a new No S week starting. But by late afternoon of that first Monday, when I am ravenous and tired and cranky and the refrigerator at work is stocked with Coke and I get resentful that I can't have any, that's when I give in. And then of course, once I have "blown it" for that day (or that week), why bother trying to stick with it (not a very smart concept, I know, but a habit I have managed to stick with over the years). By Thursday I am thinking, "Hey the week is almost over already. If I had stayed with No S this week I would have shown myself I can do it and be enjoying my Coke the day after tomorrow. I will start No S again - on Saturday." (an S day - how convenient). And so has been this vicious cycle of mine. (By the way, Coke represents all the sweets, snacks and seconds I love).

So as the start of yet another month looms, it is time for me to commit to No S. I will be keeping track, but I do not think I will be using the HabitCal. Once a day goes red for me, my "I've blown it" mentality kicks in and ruins the rest of the day. So on my calendar, I am going to make a red line for every red incident on a given day and then count up the lines at the end of each day. My goal is to have zero lines on each No S day. This should be as easy for me to see my progress as coloring in the entire day red or green. If a day on my calendar is blank, then I had no red incidents and complied with No S that day (a green day). If a calendar day has an x on it, then it is an S day (a yellow day). If a day has 4 red lines with another diagonal line drawn through them, then that means 5 times that day I had an S when I wasn't supposed to and that's too many (a red day).

I think I have gone on long enough. Thanks for reading. I will be joining the September challenge (although I have to read up on how to edit a post so I can update my progress). My goal for September is to stick with it, even when I am very hungry on a late Monday afternoon; even when I don't have a perfect day (I will mark it and move on); even when I feel like I will never lose weight doing this (I could lose 100 lbs and still be at the high end of a weight chart for my height). But if I don't make the effort now, eating 3 meals a day of food I like in reasonable amounts, then I am never going to do it.

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DaveMc
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Post by DaveMc » Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:12 am

Welcome, aoc, and best of luck! You sound very determined.

In terms of being hungry between meals, I've heard a number of people here mention that they initially used drinks (milk or fruit juices) as a way to bridge the gap. They can help fill you up and help you last to the next meal, but since you're drinking rather than eating, it's not as disruptive to the process of habit-formation as having a solid snack would be. Maybe something to try, if the gap between meals is giving you trouble.

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bluebunny27
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Post by bluebunny27 » Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:43 am

Coke ?? I haven't had a COKE since 1985. Remember when they switched to the 'New Coke' ... that was the last time. ;-)

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Good luck on your journey ... set yourself a goal to reach within a year - 2 years - 5 years, split the number of pounds you want to lose for each month and then do everything you can to make it. Diet & exercise. Sound like you're in for the long haul.

Cheers !

Marc ;-)

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howfunisthat
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Location: New York

Post by howfunisthat » Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:59 pm

Hi aoc,

Welcome. I'm glad you've decided to jump in...now you can post & hopefully we can send you some encouragement. We all need that...

Here's my advice for today. I can absolutely identify with the feelings of failure...of repeated failure...it's awful. It's as if one hour of failure can throw the whole train off the track and before you know it you've been lost in the woods for a week, wondering where the track was in the first place! Learning how to get back on track is vital...and you really CAN do that here. Someone on the boards once said that what you learn here is to maintain your weight first. There are diets out there that can give you quick weight loss, but as soon as they are over, the weight comes back faster than a speeding bullet. This is not like that. If you decide to tackle every day, you WILL learn to eat differently, you WILL learn that when you eat outside the plan, you can pick yourself up, brush off the crumbs, and start again. Losing weight is an emotional journey for a lot of people...like me too...but I truly believe that this is the healthiest, the smartest, the most sane plan I've ever done. You can do this....decide not to miss a day...not one...work on one at a time...keep your eyes on today...and come on in and let some friends here cheer you on. Remember.....you CAN do this...

janie
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy...

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midtownfg
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Post by midtownfg » Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:19 pm

Hi aoc,
I really like your calendar-marking plan. You'll get the benefit of using HabitCal but with the flexibility that will work for you when you are starting out. You have really thought it through and you are ready to go. Best of luck. You can do it.

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geekmom
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Location: Vancouver, BC

Post by geekmom » Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:25 pm

Good luck, AOC! With your calendar-marking plan and the commitment you've shown by posting here, I think you have the tools you need to succeed.

Do you have an alternative to that enticing fridge full of Coke at work? Can you bring your own tasty juice or tea?

aoc
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Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:56 am

Post by aoc » Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:56 pm

Thanks, all, for the words of encouragement. It's one thing to read other people's posts (which I have been doing for nearly a year now) and having people cheering you on personally. I appreciate it.

As for avoiding the fridge full of Cokes at work, no, I cannot avoid it, not if I want to get a glass of cold water. The refrigerator is also stocked with diet soda, but I cannot stand diet soda. I will just have to deal with it. Luckily, it's a part time job, so it's not like I have to resist it for 8 hours every day (only 4 hours). Besides, Coke at work is the least of my worries; I just mentioned it as an example. I have no problems eating and drinking the "right" things in front of others. It's when I am home alone that the "need" for sweets and snacks and seconds starts. But I have a few ways to try and deal with that: don't bring soda or sweets home during the week; brush my teeth after my last meal of the day; and remind myself that it it NOT no snacks, no sweets no seconds FOREVER.

On a final note, yes, Marc, I do remember new Coke. (Was it really back in 1985??). I did not like it and was very happy when classic Coke came back.

:D

Gia
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Post by Gia » Thu Sep 03, 2009 12:26 pm

good luck!

just keep repeating: "just for today, i am on no s"
if you can just get through 24 hours, you're in! don't worry about starting on a big day! The results are so slow, that the longer you wait, the more you will wish you had just started.

I started on a random afternoon on thursday. the start doesn't matter - just keep pushing through the day... one day at a time!

hugs! you can do it!

Remy
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Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 2:31 am

Post by Remy » Thu Sep 03, 2009 1:15 pm

You sound a bit like me. I used to feel that I had no willpower over food at all. I used to eat three healthy meals and then basically eat junk - salty, savoury, sweet, you name it - in between, before and after. It was one long foodfest day after day.

I would have good intentions that "today is the day" all that bad eating stops. Then I would crumble and binge again.

No S has been a revelation for me. I have been No Sing for over a year now and even though I have succumbed to an occasional binge on an S day once Monday comes I just go back to eating normally for an N day.

I have returned to full time work this year and in eight months I have not had a single failure while at work. And this is at a place where every group seems to buy some sort of treat at least weekly. I just say no thanks.

Why am I telling you my life story. It is because if I can manage this so can you.

You seem far more organised and committed than I was at the beginning of my journey so I think you are on the right track to be very successful on No S.

I wish you all the best in your No S journey.

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sporkfancier
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Post by sporkfancier » Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:21 pm

Ah, Coke--I used to love it and drink as much as you're saying you drink. I switched to Diet Coke (and now Diet Coke with Lime--so incredibly good) about 11 years ago, and now I can't drink "The Real Thing".

Can I recommend something? How about make Diet Coke or Coke Zero your N-day coke replacement? I'll be honest, it does take an effort to switch from one to the other, but it might be easier to switch on N-days than to quit cold turkey. Obviously, drinking water instead would be ideal, but you're already making a significant change in your eating patterns.

In my experience, everyone who says "I can't stand diet soda" will change their mind with repeated exposure. There's no lingering aftertaste and your tongue doesn't get all fuzzy like it does with "real" coke...
Shovel glove? Isn't that the size of prophylactic I use?

guadopt1997
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Post by guadopt1997 » Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:01 pm

I recommend reading the catch-phrases. One of my favorites is:

"If I back into a pole, I'm not gonna say,'Oh well, the car is wrecked' and drive into a brick wall!"

That's what I tell myself when I have a slip. Because I had the feeling on other diets that I'd slip on purpose to give myself license to binge the whole day, or the whole week, or the whole month.

On no-S, I mark it (not quite the way you're planning--but that sounds like a great idea), AND MOVE ON!

Good luck!

Liz

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