Hi Everyone,
I'm intrigued by this diet but nervous to start it because i'm not sure it's "for me" Here's a bit about myself:
I'm a female who is 5'4.5 and 145 lbs and work out enough that I have muscle and despite a bit og jigglyness, would not consider myself overweight. However, I do want to work on the jiggly part and would love to be a little "healthier" for bathingsuit season.
I'm currently at a healthy weight thanks to a lot of hard work in diet and exercise, I wasn't always at this point. Weight Watcher's Core plan got me to where I am now.
I eat very very healthy most of the time. I mean, I rarely eat fast food (once every 6 months?) and I don't even eat out a lot at restaurants and when I do it's a healthy option (grilled chicken salad, not fettucini alfredo). I eat all my fruits and veggies, only whole grains not refined, lean meats, soy cheese and milk, etc.
So why am I here? I do have a killer sweet tooth and I'm trying to keep that at bay even though when I do eat sweets, it's not like I'm doing the candy bar and doughnut thing, I'm eating dark chocolate, an ice cream cone (not a pint) and other healthy sweets, but...tooo much of them.
I also would LOVE to train myself to not be an emotional eater, which I totally am.
So...is the No-S diet for me? I know it sounds like I dont have much to go...but I've been working on dieting my whole life and this sounds like a good way to have "simple structure" as I read somewhere.
Could use advice. thanks!
I'm intrigued...
Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating
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silverstorm
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 10:00 pm
I'd say No-S can work fine for you. It works as a maintenance plan, and even when I'm at my ideal weight (not too far away..!) I plan on staying on this stuff for maintenance. It can certainly get rogue eating under control.
The sweets is probably the most important (and was the most difficult for me). Snacks was a biggie too. In your case, you could try a couple things... you could have 4 scheduled meals instead of 3, with a smaller dinner to compensate for the snack/meal between. That has worked for some around here. But maybe better would be maybe to eat a bigger lunch so you can last till dinner. I used to have the same problem you did - could not make it from about noon to 7 or so - but now it's rarely a problem.
Good luck!
The sweets is probably the most important (and was the most difficult for me). Snacks was a biggie too. In your case, you could try a couple things... you could have 4 scheduled meals instead of 3, with a smaller dinner to compensate for the snack/meal between. That has worked for some around here. But maybe better would be maybe to eat a bigger lunch so you can last till dinner. I used to have the same problem you did - could not make it from about noon to 7 or so - but now it's rarely a problem.
Good luck!
Before criticizing someone, you should try walking a mile in their shoes. Then you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
Welcome, silverstorm.
Eating three meals is deeply normal, people have been doing it (when they were lucky enough to have enough to eat for three meals) for thousands of years. If it seems terrifying now, it's because our eating habits today are so profondly abnormal. It'll be a bit of a jolt at first, but once you get into the groove you'll find it's a very deep, habit friendly groove.
That being said, there are people here who've successfully done a 4 meal version of nos (the fourth meal usually being a small, healthy snack-meal), either as a stepping stone to three or as an end in itself. I'd recommend giving the three a shot unless you have some kind of medical condition that would make that inadvisable. You might be surprised at how easy it is.
Best of luck, and keep us posted,
Reinhard
Eating three meals is deeply normal, people have been doing it (when they were lucky enough to have enough to eat for three meals) for thousands of years. If it seems terrifying now, it's because our eating habits today are so profondly abnormal. It'll be a bit of a jolt at first, but once you get into the groove you'll find it's a very deep, habit friendly groove.
That being said, there are people here who've successfully done a 4 meal version of nos (the fourth meal usually being a small, healthy snack-meal), either as a stepping stone to three or as an end in itself. I'd recommend giving the three a shot unless you have some kind of medical condition that would make that inadvisable. You might be surprised at how easy it is.
Best of luck, and keep us posted,
Reinhard
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silverstorm
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 10:00 pm
Okay, okay, I'm going to try this! 21 days, right? I can do it.
I'm starting today! I usually bring a "healthy brownie" (made with processed garbanzo beans instead of flour and oil, but definitely includes chocolate and brown rice syrup, so it's a sweet) for lunch but I didn't today so I can be on No Sweets since it's an N-day.
I also am going to hold off on eating lunch until 1:30 instead of 12:30 so that it may hold me better until dinner. I usually don't eat all of my lunch at once, I spread it out lunch itself is small and I have snacks, but I'm going to eat it all at once.
I'm going to the gym at 6pm and wont be able to eat dinner until 7:30 or 8, so I have a granola bar just in case. i dont want to get woozy during my weight-lifting class. Is that okay?
My brithday is next Wednesday--that's an S day, right?
I'm starting today! I usually bring a "healthy brownie" (made with processed garbanzo beans instead of flour and oil, but definitely includes chocolate and brown rice syrup, so it's a sweet) for lunch but I didn't today so I can be on No Sweets since it's an N-day.
I also am going to hold off on eating lunch until 1:30 instead of 12:30 so that it may hold me better until dinner. I usually don't eat all of my lunch at once, I spread it out lunch itself is small and I have snacks, but I'm going to eat it all at once.
I'm going to the gym at 6pm and wont be able to eat dinner until 7:30 or 8, so I have a granola bar just in case. i dont want to get woozy during my weight-lifting class. Is that okay?
My brithday is next Wednesday--that's an S day, right?
I really think the key to this is spacing the meals throughout the day so it works for you. When I first started I couldn't do it and I figured out why - I was eating 2 of my meals to close together. I know breakfast is important, but I have found that delaying it works great for me. So I have a brunch, then dinner with my family, then I eat later in the evening. This works great for me because I am not as hungry early in the day but I like to eat at night....LOL. I am a night owl, though. I know everyone's schedule is different. I do think it's totally possible to space 3 meals out over your waking hours. Even if the meals are a bit bigger to help you do it.
Jeanette
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silverstorm
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 10:00 pm
I eat "brunch" around noon. Then I eat dinner with my family about 5-6pm. Then I usually eat again around 10pm. Some nights I am up until 2am so I am not really eating right before bed...my stomach usually feels empty (but not starving) when I go to bed. I don't have to be up until 9 or 10am so the "brunch" works for me because I am not waiting a super-long time to eat. It's actually nice because I don't get hungry until about noon. Before No S I would basically force myself to eat something in the morning when I really didn't want to eat.
YES, I have lost weight with this schedule! I have done No S several (or more
) times in the last couple years or so. I would "mess up" and then give up for awhile. I don't think like that anymore, though! LOL! I have learned that if I mess up I just need to get right back on track. And if I do that the blip usually doesn't even do that much damage. I started No S again last Monday and am already down 5 pounds! This is not because this is a quick fix diet, but because I was eating SO MUCH before. I used to be an emotional eater and those habits just kinda stuck after I got over my depression. I think I will really do it THIS time!
YES, I have lost weight with this schedule! I have done No S several (or more
) times in the last couple years or so. I would "mess up" and then give up for awhile. I don't think like that anymore, though! LOL! I have learned that if I mess up I just need to get right back on track. And if I do that the blip usually doesn't even do that much damage. I started No S again last Monday and am already down 5 pounds! This is not because this is a quick fix diet, but because I was eating SO MUCH before. I used to be an emotional eater and those habits just kinda stuck after I got over my depression. I think I will really do it THIS time! Jeanette
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silverstorm
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 10:00 pm
Jeanatte, thanks for your response. That's great that you've lost 5 lbs! It sounds like you've gotten to a good place at this point
I'm also an emotional eater and it's one of the reasons I'm here. I need to have structure, but not feel deprived, and this seems like the best place for me to do that. Because I'm at a healthy weight, everyone says to me "you dont have to watch what you eat" but weight maintenance is a long journey and I DO have to watch or else I'll go back to where I used to be. My goal is to "think like a thin person" someday. Not eat unless I really need the fuel. It'll take awhile to accomplish that, but I'm up for the challenge.
I'm also an emotional eater and it's one of the reasons I'm here. I need to have structure, but not feel deprived, and this seems like the best place for me to do that. Because I'm at a healthy weight, everyone says to me "you dont have to watch what you eat" but weight maintenance is a long journey and I DO have to watch or else I'll go back to where I used to be. My goal is to "think like a thin person" someday. Not eat unless I really need the fuel. It'll take awhile to accomplish that, but I'm up for the challenge.
Weight loss
If you go back through the posts here, you'll see that the majority of people have lost weight, to varying degrees, so I wouldn't let that be a worry.
As to not eating until you get home from the gym, that is going to be a stretch... not because you'll really be weaker after not eating since lunch - unless you have a metabolic problem, you're simply not weaker after a four hour fast - but becuase hungry feels a lot like weak.
It would be okay to leave a bit of your lunch until just before you work out. That's as much "grazing" as I'd do, though... I think that part of why No-S works is because you stop eating between meals. I wouldn't spread lunch out as a bunch of snacks. Maybe just take a piece of fruit for lunch and not eat it until 6:00 p.m. if that gets you through your gym session.
Anyway, that's my two cents. FYI, I've lost 25 lbs and I'm very close to my ideal weight. I'm not really losing weight anymore, but maintenance is a breeze.
And I'm one of those who, for metabolic reasons (I'm an insulin dependent diabetic) ate four times a day for a while. I'm past that now.
As to not eating until you get home from the gym, that is going to be a stretch... not because you'll really be weaker after not eating since lunch - unless you have a metabolic problem, you're simply not weaker after a four hour fast - but becuase hungry feels a lot like weak.
It would be okay to leave a bit of your lunch until just before you work out. That's as much "grazing" as I'd do, though... I think that part of why No-S works is because you stop eating between meals. I wouldn't spread lunch out as a bunch of snacks. Maybe just take a piece of fruit for lunch and not eat it until 6:00 p.m. if that gets you through your gym session.
Anyway, that's my two cents. FYI, I've lost 25 lbs and I'm very close to my ideal weight. I'm not really losing weight anymore, but maintenance is a breeze.
And I'm one of those who, for metabolic reasons (I'm an insulin dependent diabetic) ate four times a day for a while. I'm past that now.
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."
Silverstorm
My mom is now doing No S with me. Now this is a woman of 60 who looks like she might be 50 at a stretch, perfect weight to height ratio, BMI 100%. She eats an unbelievably healthy diet and does yoga twice a week and is solid muscle. She is someone who if she feels she had gained a little (by her clothing) she would cut back for a few days and be back on track. But she has one weakness - chocolate. Since starting No S with me she cannot believe how her chocolate cravings have become a thing of the past and how much more she is enjoying her chocolate with out the guilt over the weekends. She has also been astounded how many healthy snacks she was eating throughout the day.
This plan works wonderfully as a maintenance plan.
My mom is now doing No S with me. Now this is a woman of 60 who looks like she might be 50 at a stretch, perfect weight to height ratio, BMI 100%. She eats an unbelievably healthy diet and does yoga twice a week and is solid muscle. She is someone who if she feels she had gained a little (by her clothing) she would cut back for a few days and be back on track. But she has one weakness - chocolate. Since starting No S with me she cannot believe how her chocolate cravings have become a thing of the past and how much more she is enjoying her chocolate with out the guilt over the weekends. She has also been astounded how many healthy snacks she was eating throughout the day.
This plan works wonderfully as a maintenance plan.
Hugs from Sunny South Africa
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)
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silverstorm
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 10:00 pm
Kevin,
I like that idea of saving a piece of fruit from my lunch for right before the gym. Congrats on your weightloss, 25 lbs is great and knowing that "maintenance is a breeze" is very comforting.
MerryKat, I hope I turn out like your mother, taking control of my chocolate cravings. I feel like my sugar cravings have decreased since I quit eating foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners. But the sugar monster is still there!
Thanks, everyone, for your helpful feedback and advice! This board is great!
I like that idea of saving a piece of fruit from my lunch for right before the gym. Congrats on your weightloss, 25 lbs is great and knowing that "maintenance is a breeze" is very comforting.
MerryKat, I hope I turn out like your mother, taking control of my chocolate cravings. I feel like my sugar cravings have decreased since I quit eating foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners. But the sugar monster is still there!
Thanks, everyone, for your helpful feedback and advice! This board is great!