Success or Failure: Diet, or focus?

Over43 · Post by **Over43** » Sun Nov 03, 2013 1:42 am

Do some people, who are more focused, succeed because of that focus? My adult attention span issues are legendary. My lack of attention involves all aspects of my life. I have been married to the same woman for twenty-six years, which is good. And as Johnny Cash would say, I walk the line.

But diets, I might do three in a day.

Just a thought, I'm not sure it is about "weakness", but focus. When I did Ritalin a ate much less. It does suppress appetite, but I was certainly more mindful of disregarding the bite size 3 Muskateers.

jw · Post by jw » Sun Nov 03, 2013 2:04 am

Interesting question! I tend to focus a lot when I am on a diet, and I was hoping with No S to make good eating habits more automatic, so that I don't have to!

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Sun Nov 03, 2013 3:55 pm

Hi Over43,
Those that have been successful over the long-term (not me, BTW!) seem to have laser focus, but on only ONE thing (3 meals a day, no worries about any other habits). In my 2 months perusing this board, I almost feel like I can predict now who is headed for trouble---it's when someone is trying to add in other rules than just 3 meals a day. I suppose if someone already HAS 3 meals a day down pat, then adding in ONE other rule makes sense.

To summarize: Focus is not easy for anyone, and therefore trying to focus on more than ONE food change is a recipe for struggle. If someone has focus problems in life in general (very nice focus on staying married to the same woman for 26 years!!), then it seems it would be even MORE important to choose only ONE food habit to focus on.

Over43 · Post by **Over43** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 2:34 pm

May I disagree with this? Focus is not easy for anyone.

I think focus is natural and easy for a certain population. I don't know if they are anymore, or less intelligent, but I think some people have it easier when they need to put their nose to the grind stone.

Remember the student with 3x5 note cards, the paper that was done weeks before, who had the best looking sugar cube California Spanish Mission (if his/her parent didn't do it), basically the teacher pleaser.

I didn't turn in assignments, lost papers from my desk to the teacher's desk, and was a procrastinator excellance. (If anyone knows French, please help me with that.)

However, I could sit down in college, the night night be fore the final, read a 500 page text, and...get the highest score. Languages and math were hard, but history and philiosophy classes were easy.

Everyone's brain is different, and we all function at different levels of organization. Hence, some of us who admit to "mindless" eating...we aren't focused on the task at hand.

finallyfull · Post by **finallyfull** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 2:58 pm

Over43, I had the same college experience. I still aspire to have those nice notecards...

But with food, I wonder if focus is needed. I bet if you know you get three plates a day, and you eat a candybar in between meals, most of the time there is a definite voice in your head that says "hey that's against your rules!" but you ignore it.

I know impulse control is a very real part of ADHD for many, but I also know that if you are walking the line for your wife, you can walk the line for your life and say no to temptation.

Okay I just said that because it rhymed, but it's true: we are more involved in our LIFE when we are not worrying about food, and our quality of LIFE is extended if we eat healthily and keep our weight moderate.

Having said that: I think those of us who are less focused but can put a laser beam on our passions are not accidents -- we are meant to be this way. The rest of the world needs to chill out and appreciate those who march to a different drummer.

jw · Post by jw » Mon Nov 04, 2013 4:21 pm

Over43, I used to do the same thing -- I once swallowed a line by line translation of Beowulf the night before the exam rather than learn Old English grammar -- and I did ace it! It is an intense, short-term focus rather than long-term application.

Since long-term attention doesn't come naturally, however, I think No-S is a great way to artificially build a kind of absent-minded moderation, to replace the absent-minded snacking that used to prevail. I rely a lot on keeping out of the way of temptation during the week -- I only cook as much as I will eat, for example; I don't have snack foods or sweets in the house, etc. The less I have to think about it, the happier I am -- and my ultimate goal is not to think about it at all!

Donnadolittlemore · Post by **Donnadolittlemore** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 2:32 am

I think in the area of dieting, focus is our worst enemy. The more I focus on what I can eat and what I am forbidden the more I want the forbidden. I find the No S diet allows me to focus less. How much time do I really need to think of the three simple rules? There is no wiggle room or ways to manipulate the plan so it seems like I am following it, but really not. For me it has nothing to with lack of focus, but more of the habit of living in the moment and paying no heed to the consequences.

Kittykat150 · Post by **Kittykat150** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:55 am

I made the note cards. I needed the note cards. What's wrong with the note cards?....

I agree that too much focus makes this a diet. Maybe the simplicity is what makes it so uncomfortable for a while for us note card people. It seems like there is not enough to control.
Kat

finallyfull · Post by **finallyfull** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 2:33 pm

The note cards are great -- organized people are awesome. I might be one some day. But probably not!

Donna -- YES! For me No S takes the focus OFF of food. When I'm not on it, I am always a couple hours from my next bite, and even linger around cabinets and fridge pondering what little yummy mights satisfy my boredom, stress, restlessness, sadness, or need to procrastinate. When I'm in the habit of eating and being DONE for five or six hours, wow, that has really freed my focus. I literally do more stuff, and stuff that needs to get done. Not alot, mind you, but some! And I'm stuffing my face less. More stuff, plus less stuffing, equals

-- moderation.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:06 pm

jw wrote:I think No-S is a great way to artificially build a kind of absent-minded moderation, to replace the absent-minded snacking that used to prevail.

I love the phrase "absent-minded moderation" - and think you're right on target.

Over43 · Post by **Over43** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 2:18 am

I can't let this theory go.

I think of Einstein and forty years of Grand Unified Theory. Bellow and his novels. Norman MacLean being so particular that his greatest work is the ninety page A River Runs Through It. ( A beautiful story, when I had time I used to read it to my resource students. Some of the ornrey-est kids in the class would be looking out the window, at their feet, etc.)

I hate to say this I maybe perseverating.