Everyday Systems

Okay--I started a calorie-counting diet in January 2008 (1500 per day) with a solid exercise program (5 days per week) and lost 50 lbs. For the last two years, I went deeper and deeper into the dark place of eating disorders (have struggled with eating/appearance/body image since I was 9 and my mom put me on my first diet: Jenny Craig).

After I lost the 50 lbs and was in a siz 6/8, I was terrified of gaining the weight back and becamse obsessed with calories, exercising, and the scale. If I didn't weigh a certain amount on the scale when I woke up in the morning, my entire day revolved around making sure the scale said what I wanted it to say the next day; I would even deny myself a glass of water at night if I thought it would effect the number on the scale the next morning.

Well, needless to say, my mind and body rebelled and I basically said "I'm sick of being completely controlled by this!" I have a full time job, am married, and have 3 kids to take care of.

Fast forward, I have put on 13 lbs. I still run 3 days a week and crosstrain 2 days a week, but my eating is not doing so well. In my desire to "give my body what I want", it has, IMO, clung to every ounce of food I put into my mouth in fear that I will go back to how I used to be....and even though I want to lose this additional weight I've gained back, I refuse to go back to how I used to be (and this is not the first time I've lost 50 lbs and been obsessive...it's been apart of my life for as long as I can remember).

So--I would really like to do No-S, but am wondering if I could get some feedback on my modifications:

1) I'm a teacher and have to be in my classroom by 7:00 am everyday--so many times, in racing out the door, I really don't have a chance to sit down for breakfast. I usually just have coffee on my way to work.
**So could I just add in a small meal aroun 9:00 am in the morning (fruit and granola....piece of bread with PB...etc.) when my body is actually hungry?

2) I have lunch at 12:00 pm--so that's not a problem. I take my lunch everyday and can make that my second meal.

3) I get home around 3:30 pm and am usually hungry. In addition, I try to get my run (or circuit training workout) in by 5:00 pm everyday, so could I have a third small meal around 3:30 pm when I get home? Enough time to digest and give me energy for my workout?

4) Then usually I am hungry again aroun 6 or 7 pm. This could be my 4th meal.

**Obviously, for each meal, I would adhere to the one plate rule and not snack in between---but it would be 4 meals (plus my morning coffee) rather than 3 meals.

Just looking for advice, or "been there done that" people.

I just cannot go back to the counting and numbers (calories, scale, calories burned on the heart rate monitor, etc.) It took over my life. I will not even admit some of the things I did to make sure that number on the scale was what I wanted it to be. So sad...

That would work.

This is what I'd do: I'd try to eliminate the 3:30 meal. If you eat lunch at noon, needing a meal 3 1/2 hours later is a very short time between meals. If you need something at 3:30, have a something to drink: water, coffee, juice, milk. Make sure you eat enough at lunch. Then have dinner at 6:00.

I'm a teacher too and I started with 4 meals. I found it very difficult to go from lunch to dinner without eating. After a while I cut it down to 3 by increasing the amount of fat in my lunch. Teaching is a very physical activity and you may find you continue to need that 'mini-meal' at the end of the school day, particularly if you are exercising. Best of luck and be kind to yourself

As mentioned on the home page, nowhere does No-S state that three shall be the number of meals, or that the number of meals must be three. I would probably try to adjust to three meals first, however, and add another if it proves impossible (and few things are impossible).

Though I've no experience of adding meals, I will say that your breakfast plan is barely a variation at all. Coffee is not food; all you're doing is having a portable breakfast. I do that whenever I remember to arrange it in advance, and it seems to work.