the hardest easiest thing ever

JBRhode · Post by **JBRhode** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 1:28 pm

I've been trying to really get this NoS thing down for the past several days - or at least get started with it. It sounds so easy and brainless - but I find myself flummoxed by how difficult its been to even achieve one successfuly NoS day. I don't find myself discouraged so much as completely aghast at my absolute lack of self control and moderation. If nothing else trying the NoS way certainly points a big glaring finger at how out of tune with common sense my eating habits have become after years of the diet/binge cycle. What I'd love to know from the NoS'ers here who've managed to progress over time - was it this hard for you at first as well? (Or is it just me?) And how long did it take for just three meals a day to become the habit that you sought, as opposed to something you really had to consciously strive for every day?

3-0-7 girl · Post by **3-0-7 girl** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:50 pm

This is just my way of getting it going and keeping it going, but it may help you to hear about it.

I eat 3 meals a day zip in between 7 days a week. I do the sweets in small units after lunch or dinner or both. When I say small I mean like three or four bites or a mini cookie or mini dessert or something of that nature. If I want to have doritos or cheetos or whatever snack foods I incorporate them into a meal.

I am juvenile diabetic and if I eat snacks I need more insulin and my blood sugar gets wonky. If I get a blood sugar low I drink OJ to correct it.

In my case it's just easier to follow the same pattern every day. Even on holidays.

JBRhode · Post by **JBRhode** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:40 pm

Actually it is the sweets I'm having a hard time with... I always crave something sweet after a meal. That and right after I work out... I get so hungry and I keep screwing up my no s days by doing stupid things like drinking a post workout slim fast or something. Old habits sure do die hard! Ill get this eventually though.... I don't care if it takes me all of 2012.

milliem · Post by **milliem** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:57 pm

I've had a real tough time with getting to grips with NoS, as sensible and moderate as I know it is! I've been doing it for about 9 months now, and have had serious ups and downs with not snacking/having sweets (seconds have rarely been a problem).

I have definitely found that the less sweet things I take in, the less I crave them, so keep at it and it will become easier as you go!

Both myself and my OH work out fairly regularly and he always has a protein shake afterwards (although admittedly doesn't need to lose weight). It might be worth incorporating a small post-workout meal into the plan, or timing your workouts so you eat one of your three meals right afterwards - you do need to keep your energy up if you work out a lot. I'd maybe split a plate into two portions to make sure you aren't eating too much e.g. half a plate for breakfast, half a plate post workout. One of the good things about NoS is that it's adaptable to your routine, you just have to be careful not to justify to yourself that you can eat a ton of extra food when it's not necessary!

3-0-7 girl · Post by **3-0-7 girl** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 7:34 pm

I feel it's important that I keep on keeping on with NO S. If there is a non perfect day then there just is, I have to get back on schedule the very next meal not the next day or next week.

ksbrowne · Post by **ksbrowne** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 10:36 pm

Some people can do No S cold turkey. I was not one. It's been about 2 and 1/2 years and it's pretty much habit now. However, I don't do Vanilla No S. I do the same as 3-0-7 girl. I eat 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. If I occasionally have a snack, I don't count it as a failure, I just jump back in the saddle and do better the next day. I do like a little sweet after supper. Sometimes just one Hershey's chocolate kiss is enough. I used to crave sweets all the time. My sweet tooth is much smaller now. By having a bit of something sweet every evening, I don't overeat sweets on the weekends.

My advice is, try to do it cold turkey. But if that doesn't work for you, then take a more gradual approach. Take your time and just make small changes, if you feel that works better for you.

You could cut down to having something sweet just once a day. Later on, if you want, you could try to only have sweets on weekends. It'll probably be much easier to comply once you've cut your sweet tooth down to size!

When it comes to snacks, try not to, but if you MUST have one occasionally, go ahead and have it. Temporarily. Eventually you will build the habit of not snacking and this will get MUCH easier.

Mainly, don't beat up on yourself. This takes time. You'll get there. Not everyone can do it cold turkey.

I believe in No S, but I also believe it's okay to do it your own way.

krawford13 · Post by **krawford13** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:11 pm

What has helped me is something Noel said:

"I have an agreement with my body. I will eat my 3 meals a day and I will make sure that food is tasty and nourishing. But after that I am taking no shit from my hormones or my appetite. ...........I can tolerate 3 meals a day and am delighted to be so rich that overabundance of food is actually a problem."

Noel, this statement changed my life! I like your no nonsense approach to this way of eating. I now pay no attention to my appetite or hunger. I eat when it is time to eat. This coming from one who tried for years to "eat only when hungry". I eat breakfast at 7-8, lunch at 1-1:30 and dinner at 6-6:30. If I get hungry in between these times, I ignore it knowing that my next meal will be soon and I am not going to die.

Someone else said

"Eating this way is a relief. I don't have to decide if I should have a snack or not, have dessert or not - the decision is already made and there is no need to argue. When it is time to eat, it is time to eat."

Some other statement that help me really get going:

"Habit is better than self control"

"Getting the habit down solid is more important than weight loss. The weight loss will come naturally after the habit is formed"

"Moderate hunger is good and that is all you will ever feel once you get this habit down. You don't ever really enjoy food if you never get hungry"

"Establishing regular meal times train the body to become hungry at those times"

As you can probably tell, I write down statements that are meaningful to me and look at them from time to time for support.

3-0-7 girl · Post by **3-0-7 girl** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:07 pm

Kat, I so agree with you. I am the same way now. I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner end of story. Reasonable size meals on a regular plate. I am not waiting for growls or major hunger signals.

Ya know what is the miracle of all this? I am eating less this way than I ever did when I tried to eat from hunger only because I wound up binge eating a lot from that.

If I don't want to think about food all the time, collect cookbooks and recepies and watch cooking shows with lust, all I have to do is establish a 3 meals a day, no seconds and small small amounts of sweets with one or two meals and not exculde any one food group, and, PA TA DA DAH! I am there!

JBRhode · Post by **JBRhode** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 11:28 pm

Yeah.... ive gotten pretty screwed up on the whole hungry/full thing over the past few years. I never had a problem with binge eating until i tried to only eat when hungry. It led to the worst eating chaos ever.... i think thats why im so drawn to the simplicity of this three meal thing.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 2:38 am

I actually had a relatively easy time at the beginning, though I had some ups and downs months later, though that was mostly from stress habits. But I was already convinced that I just had to do it. I did have to use some purposeful thinking at times, though. Here are some of the things I'd say to myself.

Accept that no excuse to break the rules is worth it or even true. It's not a good idea to eat that and I don't need that bite of sweet and it's fine for me to go hours without food, etc. Instead I'd just make sure I had something really delicious at each meal, including something fatty. I had a lot of pizza and salad dinners. I just kept telling myself I was getting plenty of food so there was no need to eat in between and I was eating some luscious things, so I could trade them for sweets. And I savored, savored, savored when i did eat.

But I don't recommend thinking it's just going to take a few weeks. It might be longer, but it will vary in difficulty. And it is totally worth it.

Want2GetHealthy · Post by **Want2GetHealthy** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:00 pm

I am huge on sweets as well, but you know what helps for that? Chromium. It will help level our your blood sugar levels and take away some of the cravings. You can also get some chia seeds to add to your food and that helps you stay full where you won't want anything else afterward. I still have a snack now and then, but my cravings have gone way way down. It's a relief actually.

adrian · Post by **adrian** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:05 am

I am encouraged to see so many positive replies of experienced No S'ers.

I've been having the same troubles convincing my body that it isn't hungry between meals. I'm a teacher, and I used to snack when I got home from school. Not sweet so much, I always craved salty snacks like popcorn or potato chips or snack crackers. It is has been really hard convincing my body in the afternoon that it does not need to eat when I get home from work. That had become a huge trigger for me - the act of coming in from work, it was just automatic to eat.

I'm trying to retrain my body, but this is week four and it STILL wants to eat after school. I work out when I get home but that seems to make me even hungrier.

I am hopeful it will get better in time!

LoriLifts · Post by **LoriLifts** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 4:35 pm

Learning new habits takes time. Un-learning old habits takes even longer!

I've been doing No S for over 3 years and am still a work in progress. My biggest accomplishment to date is eliminating evening snacks. I never thought I could do this, dinner is my last food of the day. It took about 2 years for the habit to stick but now it does.

Be patient. Pat yourself on the back for your successes and don't beat yourself up for your failures.

gratefuldeb67 · Post by **gratefuldeb67** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 5:17 pm

what lori said

good luck jb... not easy at first.. so just recognise and accept and learn from the failures as they happen.. it will get easier the more you stick to it.
keep it up!

Sinnie · Post by **Sinnie** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:43 am

3-0-7 girl, you sound exactly like me!!! I also find success in a small nightly treat (usually with coffee), only do 3 meals, all the time (I dont really take S days because I will binge if you let me). I just enjoy food much much better this way. If I go hog wild on weekends, holidays, trips - I have a VERY hard time getting back on track!

snapdragon · Post by **snapdragon** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:31 pm

Last night I was struggling and then I thought to myself....all I have to do is not eat anything else tonight. That's it.
Changed my mindset a bit.

BrightAngel · Post by **BrightAngel** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 3:17 pm

3-0-7 girl wrote:I feel it's important that I keep on keeping on with NO S.
If there is a non perfect day then there just is,
I have to get back on schedule the very next meal
not the next day or next week.

THIS is a very successful attitude.

gk · Post by gk » Sun Feb 05, 2012 12:05 am

snapdragon wrote:Last night I was struggling and then I thought to myself....all I have to do is not eat anything else tonight. That's it.
Changed my mindset a bit.

I think that could be a major key to sticking with this plan......to focus on the next few hours or that day, versus looking at the looooong week looming ahead of you. Seems more achievable that way.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:18 am

I got through many danger times just thinking, I can wait a few hours to eat. That's all I have to do. I'm a big girl, and it won't hurt me to wait. It's never more than a few hours since my last meal and until the next meal, and it's rarely a problem for more than two hours.