...so what am I waiting for? Thing is, I've spent so much of my adult life (am now 45) 'about to start' on a diet that I always make excuses and head for the biscuit tin until tomorrow. This seems like such a non threatening 'diet' (and actually how my mum taught me to eat: shame I 'forgot' it all) that I do just want to dive in and start. I think I'm nervous of leaving behind the comfort of eating between meals tho I know it's what I must do. I especially find the time after supper hard: can't bear the thought of stopping eating for the day...
A few details: female, 45, about 14 lb over 'ideal' weight. Want to be slim, want to stop eating recklessly, want to set good example for my three children.
Any ideas on how to take the plunge gratefully received. 'just DO it!!' I hear you cry...
I'm new here and want to start....
Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating
Maybe the trick is not to think of this as a "diet" in the sense of "I'm going on a diet, " but a diet in terms of how you eat. With the exception of sweets on N days, there's no food restriction.
I think it's unfortunate that No-S is called a "diet", though I can't think of what else to call it.
I think it's unfortunate that No-S is called a "diet", though I can't think of what else to call it.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
Re: I'm new here and want to start....
Just do it. But have things to keep you busy after supper. Idle hands are the biggest evening problem for most of us. And remember this: you can go to bed a touch hungry. It really won't impact how you feel in the morning. Why make your body turn food into fat during that stretch of time?
queencushion wrote:...so what am I waiting for? Thing is, I've spent so much of my adult life (am now 45) 'about to start' on a diet that I always make excuses and head for the biscuit tin until tomorrow. This seems like such a non threatening 'diet' (and actually how my mum taught me to eat: shame I 'forgot' it all) that I do just want to dive in and start. I think I'm nervous of leaving behind the comfort of eating between meals tho I know it's what I must do. I especially find the time after supper hard: can't bear the thought of stopping eating for the day...
A few details: female, 45, about 14 lb over 'ideal' weight. Want to be slim, want to stop eating recklessly, want to set good example for my three children.
Any ideas on how to take the plunge gratefully received. 'just DO it!!' I hear you cry...
Kevin
1/13/2011-189# :: 4/21/2011-177# :: Goal-165#
"Respecting the 4th S: sometimes."
1/13/2011-189# :: 4/21/2011-177# :: Goal-165#
"Respecting the 4th S: sometimes."
Re: I'm new here and want to start....
Aw, you stole my advice!queencushion wrote:'just DO it!!' I hear you cry...
But seriously, you just have to pick a day and get started. NoS is gentle enough that it's not too hard to make it through a day following its rules, and then, lo and behold, you'll have started! The next day you'll be continuing, not starting ...
To pick a day at random, how about tomorrow? Two N days until the weekend, then two S days to decompress, then you can take on the next challenge: a full week of N days. You can do this! It's not always easy (in fact, it's pretty much always tough, especially in the first few weeks as you adjust), but it's definitely worth it!
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Nicest of the Damned
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Think of something to do after dinner and between meals that will keep you away from food. Taking a walk would work, but so would surfing the internet, if you don't have food around when you do it. It doesn't have to be a productive or self-improving activity, or something you're proud of doing, it just has to be an activity that you don't associate with snacking.
I suggest, if you don't already do this, keep all food in the house in the kitchen. No candy dishes in the living room, no stashes of food in the office, no beer fridge in the den, et cetera. Then spend your time, other than when you're preparing meals or cleaning up after them, away from the kitchen. Your between-meal and after-dinner activities should not take place in the kitchen or at the dining room table, if you can at all avoid it. Those are locations you've learned to associate with food, and being in those locations isn't going to help you in avoiding the snacking habit.
How old are your kids? I remember my parents going on many diets when I was a pre-teen and teenager. They all included terrible food, as I recall, so I dreaded hearing that my parents were going on a diet. I would have loved it if they'd gone on one like No S, where changing what you're eating is not required.
I suggest, if you don't already do this, keep all food in the house in the kitchen. No candy dishes in the living room, no stashes of food in the office, no beer fridge in the den, et cetera. Then spend your time, other than when you're preparing meals or cleaning up after them, away from the kitchen. Your between-meal and after-dinner activities should not take place in the kitchen or at the dining room table, if you can at all avoid it. Those are locations you've learned to associate with food, and being in those locations isn't going to help you in avoiding the snacking habit.
How old are your kids? I remember my parents going on many diets when I was a pre-teen and teenager. They all included terrible food, as I recall, so I dreaded hearing that my parents were going on a diet. I would have loved it if they'd gone on one like No S, where changing what you're eating is not required.
When I started No-S I banned the word 'diet' from my head and from my house. To me, this is a system for changing some deeply ingrained unhealthy habits.wosnes wrote: I think it's unfortunate that No-S is called a "diet", though I can't think of what else to call it.
queencushion, I only started a few weeks ago, and the thing that gets me through the long stretches between meals is to plan delicious main meals. No-S is not about deprivation, so try thinking about what you'd really like to eat then look forward to it.
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queencushion
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:19 pm
New here
So kind of you to give me such good advice!
My kids are 9, 11 and 14 so old enough to observe and learn good habits themselves..
Ok am going to dive in and start today. Then I just have 2 days until my s days.I'll keep you posted.. Perhaps there is a 'newbie' thread somewhere here?
I love the idea of a 'system' rather than a 'diet'. And I think 'discipline' and 'strictness' are undervalued in our lives in general so I'd better start putting my thoughts into action (procrastination being another of my more unseemly traits)
My kids are 9, 11 and 14 so old enough to observe and learn good habits themselves..
Ok am going to dive in and start today. Then I just have 2 days until my s days.I'll keep you posted.. Perhaps there is a 'newbie' thread somewhere here?
I love the idea of a 'system' rather than a 'diet'. And I think 'discipline' and 'strictness' are undervalued in our lives in general so I'd better start putting my thoughts into action (procrastination being another of my more unseemly traits)
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NoelFigart
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- Location: Lebanon, NH
- Contact:
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My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.
My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.
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ThomsonsPier
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:18 pm
- Location: Reading, UK
The best way to start doing something is to start doing it.
The advice above to pick a day and start is good. I'd go further and tell you to pick today, rather than tomorrow. (EDIT: Oh, you did) This is based largely on the fact that I consider the best way of learning to make mistakes, and you can't make any mistakes if you're not doing the thing.
I also have no problem with the word "diet", as this is the only one I've ever undertaken; I've therefore never built a negative association, having only used the word in its scientific sense ("the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism", to quote Wikipedia).
The advice above to pick a day and start is good. I'd go further and tell you to pick today, rather than tomorrow. (EDIT: Oh, you did) This is based largely on the fact that I consider the best way of learning to make mistakes, and you can't make any mistakes if you're not doing the thing.
I also have no problem with the word "diet", as this is the only one I've ever undertaken; I've therefore never built a negative association, having only used the word in its scientific sense ("the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism", to quote Wikipedia).
ThomsonsPier
It's a trick. Get an axe.
It's a trick. Get an axe.
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BrightAngel
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Hm...wonder why I didn't think of that yesterday?!Nichole wrote:I remember when I first found this site, I made a post and said something like "I think I'll start on Monday" and Wosnes said, "why not start right now?" That little comment got my rear in gear, lol.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
LOL!wosnes wrote:Hm...wonder why I didn't think of that yesterday?!Nichole wrote:I remember when I first found this site, I made a post and said something like "I think I'll start on Monday" and Wosnes said, "why not start right now?" That little comment got my rear in gear, lol.
"Anyone can cook." ~ Chef Gusteau, Ratatouille