Curiosity killed the cat...

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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spinal77
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Curiosity killed the cat...

Post by spinal77 » Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:57 am

I stumbled upon your site following a link from a message post on Slashdot and am intrigued by relative simplicity of this "plan" (i put that in quotes because its not really a plan in the classical sense that all those other life sucking ones are).

I'm curious to know how well this program has worked for anybody on the...larger end of things. Let me give you a little background.

I'm the son of two middle-class parents who are in their 50's with very nasty family health conditions on both sides; on one side is early onset heart disease and diabetes(no male ancestor has lived to 55+ on that side of the family) and on the other are hormone/endocrine issues.

I'm 25, and ever since I was a little kid I've always been big. I've been through the starve yourself phase, the slim-fast attempt that left me almost in a hospital, and various other trendy plans but no matter what I try I can't seem to lose anything.

I have Syndrome X and other conditions which basically necessitate the losing of weight before they become irreversible; i just haven't been able to do it. I'm 5'9 and at 300 lbs or so. Even if I could just make it to 250, or 225 or something even kind of close to a decent body weight than I'm at now would be great. I've been looking for something that would not be expensive to do and not be a hassle.

I read through the board and it seems like it works but I haven't seen a lot of people that were bigger than the normal 50lbs overweight thing chime in...

DO you think its possible to make any kind of real progress with this diet in 6 months to a year with a modest amount of exercise and a decently strict adherence to the ideas? Modest amount of exercise being 30 minutes on a stationary bike (i cannot run, for obvious reasons).

I'm just kind of at the end of my rope and surgery has been mentioned by my doctor, but I don't want to do that...I'm only 25...
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gratefuldeb67
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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:10 am

Good luck Spinal... I would say that you could certainly lose the weight you need to, but that you shouldn't expect it to happen in six months to a year.. That is very unrealistic...
Most diets advertise quick weight loss, and people are duped into believing that this is a healthy approach.. But it's not and it's not maintainable...

Surgery won't change your metabolism or your habits.. I don't think it's a healthy choice at any age...

Best of luck!!!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb

spinal77
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Post by spinal77 » Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:19 am

gratefuldeb67 wrote:Good luck Spinal... I would say that you could certainly lose the weight you need to, but that you shouldn't expect it to happen in six months to a year.. That is very unrealistic...
Most diets advertise quick weight loss, and people are duped into believing that this is a healthy approach.. But it's not and it's not maintainable...

Surgery won't change your metabolism or your habits.. I don't think it's a healthy choice at any age...

Best of luck!!!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb
Well I guess the question is...i would like to see at least some results in a years time.

Of course, then again I have a doctor harping on my back that if i haven't lost 30 lbs in three months I'm a horrible person. Its pretty bad; I guess thats why i said 6 months to a year.

I'd just like ONE thing I've tried to lose weight actually work without ending up with worse results than I started with.
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Big Phil
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Go for it!

Post by Big Phil » Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:43 am

Go for it Spinal,
You will absolutely see results in 6 months! If you stick to NoS and do your 30 minutes of aerobic exercise you cannot fail. Absolutely cannot. I would recommend walking for 30 minutes a day over the stationary bike as walking is the ultimate exercise, you get to be outside and you probably burn more calories as you have to carry your own weight around. It is also better for buildind muscle and bone, but if the bike works for you then go for it. What No-S will give you is control and known identifiable limits. It is all in your control with this plan and that is what I think you need to re-discover from the sound of your email - you can control your body enough to improve your health! No-S and walking are only little steps each to better health, but they are little steps that you can take every day and know for sure that you are getting somewhere.

Life isn't a "Rocky" movie where you can do a quick 3 minute montage and suddenly be fit, don't let the diet industry convince you otherwise. Just take the little steps every day and know you are moving in the right direction.

All the best,

Phil.

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gratefuldeb67
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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:24 pm

Good point Big Phil!
I just want to clarify to Spinal what I meant.. You are right.. You can expect to see results in 6 months and a year, but I just didn't want him to think he could lose 100 lbs in that time...

A healthy rate of loss for any weight loss program, be it NoS or any other non fad one, is an average of a pound a week..... This is realistic...

Best wishes!
Love,
8) Deb

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gratefuldeb67
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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:30 pm

PS.. Your doctor is not giving you good advice regarding the speed of weight loss.. He is perpetuating the "diet myth" of rapid loss...

Just get yourself committed to doing it and stick with it... You can devote 20 to 30 mins a day to some kind of exercise, walking is a great one at any weight... and put your blinders on to the nay sayers and people who have been brainwashed about "dieting" and try NoS!
You know it's the most sensible deep down...
If you lose forty pounds in one year you will be so much healthier than now, and who knows, it might be more... But mostly, it's maintainable and you will feel encouraged to keep going for year after year...

You are starting young so consider yourself lucky... I know you have some sort of syndrome but you have a more active metabolism now than you will in five or ten years from now... If you stick to NOS by then you will already be thin!
We are all rooting for you so don't listen to that bone head doctor!!!!!

Peace and Love,
8) Deb

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JWL
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Post by JWL » Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:44 pm

Hi spinal,

Glad you made it here. I think No-S will help you. Here's my story: My background is very similar to yours. Midwestern, "corn-fed" upbringing (in suburbia, so you get the gluttony without the heavy farm labor), a somewhat unhealthy family (though 3 of 4 grandparents made it into their 80s, one to their 90s), etc. I'm much taller than you (6'4"), and currently weigh around 330. At my heaviest, I was over 400, my highest known weight was 411 but my best guess is that I was higher than that at some point.

When I started No-S, shovelglove, etc I was at around 370-380. That was in June of last year. So yes, if you stick to the plan, you will see results. When I'm focused, and stick to the plan, I lose about a half pound per day. Of course, some of this is gained back periodically, and every day isn't a focused good day. But that gives you a best-case scenario idea of what is possible. Remember, 2 pounds per week lost is 100 pounds in a year (roughly). Furthermore, slow weight loss seems to be (statistically speaking) more longterm/permanent than sudden, rapid weight loss (which is oftentimes gained back).

Remember, No-S is primarily an algorithm to control excessive quantity of food. Fat people simply get used to eating too much, and not doing enough exercise. No-S is the simplest way to control quantity that I know, and it's sustainable, which is why you will be successful.

In terms of nutrition, you are on your own. Make sure you learn how to eat healthy, nutritionally-speaking. That can be tricky when you're reducing quantity, ie, making sure you get enough fruits and veggies.

And, exercise. I believe walking is the best thing you can do. I love shovelglove because it's fun and gives you more upper body strength. I also love yoga, but I had to get smaller before I felt OK about trying some yoga. I'm just now getting into it. In particular, I recommend "Hindu Squats".

But anyway, good luck. Make a good "big choice" to commit yourself to this plan, then back it up with lots of "little choices" to stick to it.
JWL[.|@]Freakwitch[.]net

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JWL
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Post by JWL » Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:48 pm

One other point: remember, as you say you've been big all your life, it's taken you two decades to put this weight on. It's not gonna all come off in a matter of a month, or even 6.

Slow and steady, move towards health and not away from it, and...

EVER ONWARD!
JWL[.|@]Freakwitch[.]net

silverfish
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Post by silverfish » Wed Feb 01, 2006 2:00 am

I found that it was best to concentrate on one thing at a time, as far as no-s went.

(1) Just getting the habit. In this phase (about a month) I concentrated on "obeying the letter of the law rather than than the spirit." During this time the meals were sometimes disgustingly large but I learned two things: a, that they were disgustingly large; and b, that I could not actually starve to death between breakfast and lunch.

(2) Healthier eating. Actually, the beauty of No-S is that it is self-regulating, so by the time it got to looking at what I was eating I was starting to want to eat fruit and vegetables and whole grains and fish and lean meat and etc. I still have fast food on N-days occasionally, but just as often I'd prefer a sandwich or salad or soup or...

(3) Portion size. This was at least two months in, and I had already started to eat less. I didn't really *try* to reduce portion size, but I did start acquainting myself with what was in food, what was a recommended quantity of kJ for maintaining/losing weight and what foods I should try to eat regularly. I don't follow this strictly, but I keep in my head that if I go to Maccas I don't really want to have more than 2000 or 2500 kJ and ballpark it based on the nutrition sheets. I don't think you have to do this (and mine is only a vague awareness) but it helped me.

(4)Maintenance. Of plan, not weight. This is just looking back a couple times a month, tweaking here, adjusting how I eat at chinese restaurants there, wondering if greek-yoghurt and St Dalfours 100% raspberry preserve on toast *and* two eggs is a reasonable breakfast, adjusting my S days to go from sunset to sunset (we have a regular pizza and movie night on Fridays, and one of the attendees makes perfect creme brulee), etc.

I found No-S great because it is so self-regulating. All you have to learn are those 14 words. Everything else comes along gradually and naturally.

By the way, spreading the (sugarless) jam on toast and then spreading greek yoghurt (or I suppose, natural) on top is very, very good.

KrazyKat
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My Two Bits, 11 Days In;

Post by KrazyKat » Sat Feb 04, 2006 3:05 pm

I am new to this myself, but not to trying diets, etc, and understanding nutrition very well, for years and years!

I have had to realize that one bad day does NOT condemn me for life, and allow myself the truth that it takes time and persistence ONE day at a time to change such habits! And I am 52, going on 53!! I began putting on the weight in my 30's when I quit smoking,but really went up after I had my babies, and even more after a necessary complete hysterectomy! So yes, over the years the weight has increased; so I know it will take time to get it off.

I also am thinking that the thing I love about this so far, if it works out for me and I think it will, is that I do not have to fix RESTRICTIVE or BORING meager meals. I can cook what my family loves; and I know my basic meal offerings are well-balanced; meat, veggies, fruit, carb, dairy; so for me, the issues are: being honest about what a portion means to someone my age and at proper weight, (NO seconds, realistic portions!!), and THAT is hard when I have a favorite food in front of me!, and two, NO SWEETS!

I have realized that sweets, by themselves, tend to spike me up hard and drop me down hard and then I reach for more!! So I do better if I don't have sweets; this does not count with a fruit with a meal, where the mix and the fiber in them,calms down the sugar content by mixing it up with other nutrients. I imagine that might work with cookies and such, but not for me; too much psych baggage attached to them so I dropped that dessert stuff altogether.

Here I am; I remember No Seconds, and No Sweets; but I cannot remember the THIRD item! Is that awful, or what? And THAT I just recalled, why? It is one of my other problem areas: SNACKS!! I fell for that last night; ha! Well, I also know if I have wine, I will be very likely falling for snacks and so I have decided it is best not to have it except when I know I am planning an S day.

So I have THREE problem areas!! LOL! and the NO-S helps me with these so I do love it, in its simplicity and straightforwardness. I probably should add "No sipping wine" haaaaa! SO I think I will try going for the 21 now that I have had 11 days working on NO ESSING! Two S days in there;
Let's see if I can DO IT!
Keep up the hard work and thanks for listening, all!
Krazy

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Jammin' Jan
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Post by Jammin' Jan » Sat Feb 04, 2006 3:13 pm

KrazyKat, those sweets, snacks, and seconds are problematic for all of us, and we are lucky to have come across No-S!

KrazyKat
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Post by KrazyKat » Sat Feb 04, 2006 3:50 pm

Jan-TZ'
Yes they are; removing all the rationalizations, psychological barriers, and promises, allowances to complicate, divert, self-flagellate,etc. keeps it simple! That is the best element of this, for me. For me, also, Exercise is not an option at all.....older age more aches, simply means more need for muscle building, activity or I will become a cripple. So here's to advil and NO S!
:)

Kevin
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Spinal77

Post by Kevin » Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:52 pm

You know, you might not lose 30 pounds in three months, but I'll bet that if you get on a three meal a day plan, and walk, you will delay or prevent those endocrinological problems you forsee. I'm an insulin dependent diabetic. When I went on No-S, I reduced my insulin intake by better than 30%.

Start losing. It'll do you good. 50 pounds in a year is easily achievable for someone that's 100+ overweight. If it takes you two years to get to 200 pounds, so what?[/i]
Kevin
1/13/2011-189# :: 4/21/2011-177# :: Goal-165#
"Respecting the 4th S: sometimes."

KrazyKat
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Endocrinological Issues

Post by KrazyKat » Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:42 pm

Kevin;
Already there with the walking routines, etc.:) I am a very active person by nature anyway, so I do realize that the Endo issues are already here, thanks to the operation I had in 02, which further slowed down my metabolism, I need to build muscle to increase my metabolism as well. Up side is, it helps keep me bonez limber toooo! I love landscaping and so am looking forward to getting back to that this spring Yahooooooo!

;)
Krazy

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