Everyday Systems

Hello everyone;

I am just about to start the No S diet and I'm wondering whether to separate the S days. I am an emotional eater and I find it difficult to go beyond 3 days without eating sweets.

I'm thinking about making Wednesday and Saturday S days. Is there a reason S days are back to back other than they are on the weekends, which is usually most people's days off.

Thanks,

Caroline

I recommend not doing it. I was an emotional eater and a big sweet binger for decades. I think you should use the program as written for a few months before trying any modifications. Yes, it can be hard to follow the rules, but it's worth it. I really like my 5-day stretches of no sweets. It did take me quite awhile to learn to deal with free eating on the weekends, but the experience has been invaluable. I honestly don't believe any other program would have been better.

However, I'm a teacher and I find that I can follow N-day rules even on my breaks.

I have found that the 3-meal structure and no sweets has done as much if not more than all the programs I tried specifically devoted to ending emotional eating. I haven't solved all my emotional problems by any means and I probably don't always do the best things when I'm stressed, but I almost never eat over them, and even when I do, I don't freak and I can go back to N days right away.

I agree with oolala. I would stick very closely to the rules for several months before trying any modifications.

I think that the main reason that No S works is because you are building good habits. Habits will form better if you do them 5 days in a row.

Most people who move S days do so for some other reason than wanting a break from the structure. The most common reasons are a standing appointment during the week where S's are involved and work schedules.

Maybe this is a good time to start re-scripting your internal dialogue about your attachment to sweets. Instead of saying I am an emotional eater and don't want to go more than 3 days without sweets you could think I can go five days without sweets as millions perhaps billions of people around the world do.

Learn to do deep breathing when you are jonesing a sweet fix to sooth yourself. Recall a counter emotion such as the guilt and sick feeling you get after you eat the sweets to sooth a negative emotion rather than to celebrate. Learn to recognize that impulse that tells you without words that you will feel better after you eat something sweet as a lie.

There is some emotional housekeeping that will have to be done sooner or later. Best to do it now if you can.

I agree with the others. Now it is your habit to eat emotionally, and that's a habit you want to break.

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I am going to look at this as an opportunity to change the way I interact with foods - especially sweets.

I have had an emotional eating problem for 35 years, and I have tried therapy, intuitive eating, most diets out there - it's robbed me of a peaceful life.

It's the old "pig out tonight and be perfect tomorrow" type of thinking and as you all know it doesn't work.

Two S days in a row scares me a bit - I'm afraid I'll get out of control really fast. But when I think about it, I have gotten out of control many, many times anyway, and pigged out for days, which is much worse.

Thank you again.

You might very well pig out on S days for awhile. Don't give up. Just keep thinking of what the alternatives are. I believe you have a better chance sticking with this. TWo days out of seven is better than most days out of most days! And it can get better even after being at a standstill.