Everyday Systems

Hi -
I am not exactly a newbie as I did No S very successfully before the holidays last year. I felt great and truly was amazed at the change in my approach to eating.I absolutely loved the lifestyle and felt so happy with my eating habits. I don't really need to lose weight and am doing it more to provide some structure to my eating since I tend to overindulge in sweets too much. I love, love sweets and snacks but always feel guilty about eating them....mainly because I would eat them and then not sit down to a proper meal later because I was already full! Hence my interest in No S....to free myself from an unhealthy approach to eating.

Anyhow, I got a little bit away from the No S way and I've made several attempts to get back on track but always seem to lose the momentum around Wednesday. Therefore, I only have 3 or 4 No S days in my week which kind of screws up my weekend because I then feel guilty about having a sweet because technically I did that a few days ago. Does anyone have good advice to get through the first 21 days? I know it will be easier after that because I've done it before and I know it works and is the plan for me. I just don't seem to have the willpower lately.

Thoughts/advice and personal stories would be appreciated!
L.

- Read or listen to the "strictness" podcast. It remains my absolute favorite. Both the "building habit" bit and the "no retribution" bit.

- Make really gooooooood N-day meals. Things that are perfectly N-appropriate, but your faves. If you know you're having a wonderful dinner later, you won't want to spoil your appetite by snacking.

- When you do have a planned S treat, make it something you will truly enjoy!

Good luck!

Thanks KCCC. All great pieces of advice! I listened to the podcasts for the first time and they were very helpful. I had a green No S day today so hoping for another one tomorrow

Make your meals count. View every meal as an opportunity for real enjoyment. I'll help you hold out and resist sweet-snacks in between if you're sustained by fond memories of your last meal and pleasant anticipation of your next.

If you're feeling that you don't have enough willpower to resist the onslaught of temptation, remember that all you have to do is hold out a little longer until habit arrives to reinforce your position. Your willpower doesn't have to decisively beat these temptations, it just has to delay them a bit, until the army of habit arrives in force.

Reinhard

Thanks Reinhard! I'm having a great week and I think I might finally be back on track after losing my way for a few months. I struggle sometimes because I don't have a weight problem so I can get away with snacks, sweets, etc., but it makes me unhappy because I feel that food controls me and not vice versa. When I stay consistent with the No S rules, I feel so much more in control over what I eat as well as my enjoyment of it! It's incredibly liberating to know that I can eat whatever I want at my next meal, aside from sweets and seconds. I'm finding a new found love of food and cooking because I don't need to restrict myself to calories, carbs, fat, etc., and I look forward to every meal. It's the relationship we are supposed to have with food and I am thankful that you've help me cultivate it!

Thank you for all your comments. You deserve to hit the jackpot one day with this program and I wish you all the best!!

Have a great night and THANK YOU!
L.