S Day Strategy

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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ruthosborn
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S Day Strategy

Post by ruthosborn » Fri May 13, 2005 4:17 pm

I'm finishing five days and it's been a breeze, mostly for me. I'm just heading into my first S days and am wondering if anyone has advice or a strategy they used. I plan to be extra vigilant the first three weeks, as is suggested here. I don't feel weak right now, but tempation has a way of swooping in, so I'm a little nervous. I'd like to lose 15 pounds, and most of all, keep if off. I'm fairly active (spin, 3 times a week; weights, 2 times a week) and the neat thing about No S is that I'm not over hungry. I don't miss the snacks at all in terms of fuel for exercise. I plan to weigh myself in four weeks (and will post the results here). I am so grateful for this idea because it is so simple, yet very effective.

Have a great day.
Ruth O

PS If this post shows up somewhere else, igore it. I thought I posted but then could not find it, so I'm not sure what happened.

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Fri May 13, 2005 5:31 pm

Hi, Ruth. I'm very psyched to hear it's been such a breeze for you. As for S days, the key is probably the opposite of what you think. Don't hunker down, hope you don't get hungry, and try to free-fight whatever urges may arise. Instead, preempt your urges by planning ahead and getting something you really want. If you've treated yourself to a Tarte aux fraises fraîches, you're much less likely to wolf down a bag of stale popcorn afterwards. Crimes of opportunity are a far bigger problem for most of us than intentional indulgences, strange as that may sound. They taste worse, and in the quantities in which we shamefully suck them down, they wind up having far more calories, too. You'd think the most dangerous temptations would be the most tempting, but it isn't so. So neutralized them with quality.

This is your first weekend, so don't expect perfection. But when you confess to us here Monday what all you wound up eating, at least make sure the list is appetizing! A gastronomic success is a good in itself, and long term, the key to the other kind of success, too. Good luck!

ruthosborn
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Post by ruthosborn » Fri May 13, 2005 6:43 pm

Reinhard,
What a charming and true reply. A strawberry tart with heavy cream (I confess I had to go to my Food Lovers Companion to decipher tarte aux fraises fraiches) sounds fabulous. You are right as I think about it. Usually I don't choose my treats, opportunity and inertia them for me. This week, I chose everything (no sugar, sweets or snacks). I felt really in command for the first time in a long time. The food tasted great (because I was hungry for it) and I'm sure I will savor whatever indulgence I choose.

I will confess on Monday and am really looking forward to it. Thanks for you input. I'm grateful for it.

Ruth O

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gratefuldeb67
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Strawberry Tart

Post by gratefuldeb67 » Fri May 13, 2005 8:18 pm

Hi Ruth! Congrats on your great first week! Enjoy your strawberry tart with fresh cream, or if you are going to eat the less fancy shmancy version, say, perhaps, a strawberry Pop Tart! (choose the first!) or, heaven's to betsy, maybe even a Twinkie with smuckers strawberry sauce, just enjoy it! You deserve it, and when you really start to take conscious steps towards choosing "treats", as opposed to just "wolfing down", as Reinhard said, convenient junk, which just happens to be around, you will notice that they taste all the sweeter :)
It becomes a ritual you really look forward to.

I agree with you, also, that Reinhard truly has a gift for writing wonderful, thoughtful, and very charming responses to us Nosser's...

He is a class act, so keep your encyclopedia of fancy shmancy food around for quick reference... And when you eat that tart, make sure you speak with a French accent! LOL.... :wink:
Have a great S weekend!
Love,
8) Deb

ruthosborn
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Post by ruthosborn » Fri May 13, 2005 11:26 pm

Dear Deb,
Thanks for taking time to write back and for the support here on the board. I've been reading all the Posts to get an idea of how No S works for everyone.
Ruth O

Julia
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Talking of strategies...

Post by Julia » Sat May 14, 2005 10:31 am

Does anyone have any ideas for the best way to handle business meals. I have to attend few of these silver service do's (two in the 10 days since I started NoS) where courses are simply put in front of you unasked. At the last one I meant to say no to the dessert but was busy chatting to my neighbour and didn't even notice it arrive. So I just ate a little bit of it, and managed to refuse the chocs with coffee at the end, but it felt like a failure even though I didn't eat half as much as I would have pre-NoS.

When I'm in control of providing my own food, though, it's going really well most of the time, even at the weekend.

I get a lot of strength from reading other people's posts. How did you all get so mature and sensible!

Julia

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Jammin' Jan
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Post by Jammin' Jan » Sat May 14, 2005 10:41 am

Hey Julia,

I'm not a dessert person anyway, so whenever I have to do meals like this, I just tell people at my table that I've really had enough to eat, and would someone like some extra dessert? If no one takes it, then I push it away from me, to the side or center...anywhere except in front of my face.

This is a habit to develop, like the rest of our No-S habits, and it takes time and practice. If you mess up, it's not the end of the world, the police won't come for you, and you won't die. So don't beat yourself up over it, just look carefully at the situation as it occurred and see if you can analyze yourself into some strategy for the future.

arl0401
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five good days for me too

Post by arl0401 » Sat May 14, 2005 11:45 am

I wrote last week about my son doing this and it has inspired me to re-commit to no-s. I did it strictly for a couple of months last fall and have kind of been half hearted for a while. This week I was really good. I have three starving kids - ages 20, 18 and 14 - and I'm always cooking, so once or twice this week I tasted a bit without thinking. How much mindless eating we do without thinking!!

Anyway, I feel good today - like I really accomplished something this week. I'm still going to stay away from snacks this weekend, but I'm gonna have dessert tonight!!! I'm thinking that strawberry tart sounds really good. Reinhard, do you have a good recipe???
Anne

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Mon May 16, 2005 4:03 am

Hi arl0401,

Congratulations on deciding to recommit. I'm afraid I don't have a good recipe for the strawberry tart (fortunately the bakery across the street does). You'd think someone like me with all these methodical systems who loves to cook and eat would be a great baker, but somehow in front of the oven I'm incapable of following even the simplest recipe. I hate measuring. I always have to tweak and taste. This makes for occasional brilliance with a skillet on the stove top, but pretty much rules out baking. Fortunately I'm urban rangering distance from several excellent bakeries.

Julia, your business dinners are a tough call. It sounds like you did pretty well, though. Computer programming is a pretty anti-social profession, so I don't have to deal with these too much. My advice: be a hard liner about dessert and hors d'oeuvre. But if there's a salad and an entree served on separate plates, it may forgivable and practical and necessary to imagine that they could and, if it were not for etiquette's sake, would be on the same plate. Such "virtual plates" are not ideal, but better than making a scene or completely abandoning your resolve. Hope this helps. Keep us posted.

Julia
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Thanks again..

Post by Julia » Mon May 16, 2005 2:41 pm

...for all your support. Both ideas sound practical and helpful. Determination, practice and habit -- as you say -- more than likely to do the trick. I'll let you know how I manage next set piece dinner (not for a couple of weeks now).

Urban rangering for the sweet treat is also a great plan.

Onwards and upwards!

Julia

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