MJ7910 - daily check in

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:26 am

Made it to 21 and now I'm in this for the long haul. So new check in thread!

Decided to do some basic ideas to keep me on track, so that I might start seeing some changes in the way I look physically - probably gained some weight doing this the last few weeks but it has freed me from calorie counting so it's not such a horrible thing. I feel a change in my thinking and no longer label things as "bad" foods just from 3 weeks of this!

but with that in mind need some mods to keep things a little bit less chaotic/overfull and going to give it a go. with the idea that if i start to feel restricted on sdays i really look at why and what i want to do/eat and if i'm really wanting it or just liking the idea of it... intuitive eating doesn't seem to work for me. i just want to eat all day on sdays and that probably can't last forever. i can have some stuff but not all day every sday if i want to see anything change and be able to stay on this and not have to go back to calorie counting! i really want to stay free from calorie counting forever!
I think I will really enjoy the freedom of NoS diet but I need to reign in my big appetite and develop some moderation on Sdays too. I think in time it will come on it's own but I am helping it out just a tad.

Ideas for Sdays:

1. Can start Sdays Friday 10pm to Sunday 10pm... that is the extent of Sdays. Got to recover a little for Monday! And I noticed Fridays I feel anxious and had trouble waiting until midnight as i don't stay up until midnight! So we'll say 10 to 10.

2. Friday at 10pm I can have 1 s-event. Not hedonism... one thing i want. that's it.

3. Saturday and Sunday - going to attempt to keep it to 3 s-events each day on those days. (for example, sugary syrup with pancakes for breakfast, sample of 3 chocolates for lunch, 1 dessert for dinner). only 3 s-events to avoid nonsensical all day snacking and feeling sick. doesn't have to be all sweets for s-events, it could be an extra snack if i don't want a sweet. or a second helping of something. but just 3 s-events ... hopefully one to correspond with each meal to keep the structure.

4. Also so I don't overdo it on beverages on Sdays - 1 mocha or cappucino style coffee beverage if i so choose each sday; or one soda type beverage... but i'll probably choose the coffee beverages! but just in case...

5. keep the meal structure as much as possible (in order to "not be an idiot") i just need to keep it reasonable. but sometimes it will be hard to keep the meal structure if i'm not at home. just do the best i can.

6. Only if the opportunity presents itself, and then, only in moderation. This may prevent me from buying brownie mix, making it and eating it all. An opportunity can be a party, a restaurant meal, etc. Basically, a time when others are eating as well. basically 1 serving of a dessert is pretty much what I am aiming for.

7. which goes along with #6 - no sneaking off to indulge alone. No eating out of packages, if it's a snack, present it in a nice way perhaps. to get away from binge eating behavior, the idea of "sneaking" things has to go. I will know from the feeling i get when doing this!

I just read the podcast #34 about Sdays gone wild and it reminds me of a few points that are made that I need to keep in mind. "everything is permissible" is a mindset on Sdays i've been having. sure, it is. but will i really ENJOY those s-events? do i really want to waste my appetite on stale popcorn (or other food i won't enjoy) or do i want to save it for something really good i will appreciate and not get overfull from? these are some thoughts as i approach sdays. it is about ENJOYING them... not mad rushing to food, gluttony, feeling ill, frantic behavior, permasnacking or feeling awful at the end of each one. true ENJOYMENT of each sday is something one needs to practice to get perfect. there is no rush, just enjoy it and know you can have some awesome treats.

Also I ordered some 9 inch plates for use during the week - especially dinner at home will be useful!

Amy3010 · Post by **Amy3010** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:04 am

Congratulations on making your 21 days, MJ! And good luck with the weeks to come - you can do it!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:48 pm

for mod #4 i should add that that is just for Sdays. no overly creamy/sugary coffee beverages on ndays . just a simple coffee with a little bit of milk and sugar! can't have starbucks every day! that really adds up!

and hoping my 9 inch plates get here tomorrow or wednesday. i realize the ones i'm using are 10.5 and that's probably not necessary.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:49 pm

Amy3010 wrote:Congratulations on making your 21 days, MJ! And good luck with the weeks to come - you can do it!

thanks, even if it's not perfect i know i've acheived 21 days once which means i can do it again. gives me confidence! i think the most important thing for me is the structure... just eat these 3 times a day and that's it! i can handle that.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:00 am

today was a bit frustrating (well this afternoon was) as i wanted to run 4.5 miles and i wasn't able to do it the whole time because my 2 spots (left calf, right knee) where i've had injuries in the past were acting up. i had to slow down to a walk a few times and as a result it took me almost an hour to go the whole distance! was hoping to get back into it outside but the terrain seems to cause these flare ups as i've pretty much run on a treadmill all winter. i'm only running once a week right now. trying to build to 6.2 miles or 10k but having trouble getting back into it. i think i'm going to take 2 weeks off from outdoor running until i can get my legs to stop having these flare ups. i slowed to a walk a few times because i don't want to make injuries worse and not be able to do anything for weeks. next this week, i have 2 weight lifting days so that gives my legs a slight break. i wont' go heavy on lower body lifting just because of these issues i've been having.

anyway strange how something like that would upset me to the point where i considered eating random stuff but emotions can do that to me. i did have success today though. just feeling frustrated from the legs not behaving as i want them to behave. it's ok though. just have to go slower again to get started this spring.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:47 am

MJ7910 wrote: i did have success today though. just feeling frustrated from the legs not behaving as i want them to behave. it's ok though. just have to go slower again to get started this spring.

I am sitting here on the sidelines, MJ, cheering so mightily for you!! I suspect if you listen hard you will hear me!

Patience with our own frailties, and understanding that our successes might be something other than what we originally thought - still can make for an okay day, though!

It's all pretty organic, isn't it, not just cut & dried.

Amy3010 · Post by **Amy3010** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 8:44 am

Sorry to hear the outdoor running was so uncomfortable, MJ! Just a thought, but what about your shoes - do they have enough cushioning for outdoor running? That's how I always used to know I needed new running shoes - it would start to hurt to run outdoors. With the treadmill it didnt' seem to matter so much.

Anyway, hope it gets better soon!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 11:09 pm

yeah i have been thinking about some new shoes. i haven't really had these very long however, so i have trouble believing that is the answer. i just got these back in october and i haven't run much outside with them... so i don't think that's it... but i was thinking about getting new shoes anyway... so maybe i will and just see if it makes a difference.

success today but was a bit iffy a minute ago. i had a coffee-esque beverage (1 tbsp powdered french vanilla drink with milk) but really wanted to eat something else just because i'm stressed with work today. the drink itself wasn't many calories but had the potential to go over what would be considered just a beverage, but i didn't. so it's still a success but wasn't really having a great day today. beverages are always a bit iffy and i have the potential to make them over the top but i try not to do that.

i think i'm still annoyed i had trouble running and i feel frustrated from that. i think i'm going to do a quick upper body workout plus abs workout to avoid stressing my legs today.

here's hoping tomorrow is better. done eating for the day. maybe a decaf tea later.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:01 pm

Wow so impromtu pizza ordering today at work. Luckily not my dept so I stopped by to wish the person "happy celebration" and moved on. I had already eaten my lunch so I said that. Then they said "well stop back for cake later" so now I gotta avoid it!

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:05 pm

MJ7910 wrote:today was a bit frustrating (well this afternoon was) as i wanted to run 4.5 miles and i wasn't able to do it the whole time because my 2 spots (left calf, right knee) where i've had injuries in the past were acting up. i had to slow down to a walk a few times and as a result it took me almost an hour to go the whole distance! was hoping to get back into it outside but the terrain seems to cause these flare ups as i've pretty much run on a treadmill all winter. i'm only running once a week right now. trying to build to 6.2 miles or 10k but having trouble getting back into it. i think i'm going to take 2 weeks off from outdoor running until i can get my legs to stop having these flare ups. i slowed to a walk a few times because i don't want to make injuries worse and not be able to do anything for weeks. next this week, i have 2 weight lifting days so that gives my legs a slight break. i wont' go heavy on lower body lifting just because of these issues i've been having.

anyway strange how something like that would upset me to the point where i considered eating random stuff but emotions can do that to me. i did have success today though. just feeling frustrated from the legs not behaving as i want them to behave. it's ok though. just have to go slower again to get started this spring.

I understand how you feel. I'Ve been very frustrated with my knee. My whole body usually really wants to go further and faster, but I just have to limit things because of the knees. I tried my husbands elastic knee band (or what do you call it?) on the problem knee when I ran on Monday. Good news! My knee feels better! I'm going to have to get some for myself, and it just may be the solution. Maybe you should check that out too.

I also wonder if running so far only once a week is problematic. I don't really know. Hope your issues get better soon.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:48 pm

thanks for your comment Patty. i think maybe i need to try shorter distance outside for a while until my legs cooperate. i will check out those elastic bands around the knees and see if it helps. you never know what will work!

Today was a success but i was so hungry right before dinner! ended up getting a slice of pizza from this local place that sells it by the slice with a small salad, small amount of soup and small amount of chips. all fit on a plate. i think the coworkers pizza today was driving me crazy so i wanted some! but it's all good. had a low calorie milk/coffee beverage just now too because i'm so hungry!

but i'm still ok the rest of the day as long as that's it.

going to do the elliptical tonight i think.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:09 am

Why is pizza contagious???

I am not even a pizza fan and suddenly I am craving a greasy, cheesy, doughy, meaty slab!!

Thanks a lot, eh!!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:55 am

yeah it is weird, didn't even want it until i saw it today! but since i just got one slice it's not too bad at least.

Skelton · Post by **Skelton** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 5:44 pm

Congrats on your 21 (+ 7 now!) days, MJ !
You did great with the work pizza.
Hope your legs soon cooperate better so you can do the running you want.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 1:00 am

Thanks skelton! It was tough to walk away for sure.

Today was good, so happy tomorrow is Friday. Have one s- event planned, probably girl scout cookies. Sday start 10pm Friday with one event. Going out of town this weekend so should be interesting

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 5:49 am

One more day to go until we can cut ourselves some slack!

Have a perfectly wonderful Friday, MJ!

Amy3010 · Post by **Amy3010** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:25 am

TGIF, right?

Have a great day!

r.jean · Post by **r.jean** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 3:34 pm

I know how frustrating thar can be! Last year I suffered a hamstring injury while training for a half marathon. I did not listen to my body and ended up with tendonitis in the opposite leg's achilles tendon. That woke me up, and I spent 3 weeks of walking or leisurely biking until I healed enough to resume slow interval running. Be careful!

PS...the urge to just give up was there everyday, and it is a battle. Good luck.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Sat Mar 02, 2013 5:41 pm

""And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." - Anais Nin"

MJ, I hope your March is full of blossoms!

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Sat Mar 02, 2013 7:32 pm

Have a great weekend!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:50 am

Thanks for all the great replies over the weekend. It was better in terms of wildness, but still felt a bit out of control. I introduce another mod called "only if the opportunity presents itself, and then, in moderation" what I mean is no sneaking out alone to get treats, but if its a party and there is cake, snacks, etc, sure, a reasonable sized piece is OK. Because otherwise I seem to get really decadent stuff when it is not even necessary. I'll find myself going out alone to get something like a cheesecake brownie or something like that. it's not necessary at all and the feeling i get is a "sneaking" feeling, just like when i used to have binges, i'd go get a bunch of desserts and then eat it quickly and pretend i didn't do it. i hate feeling like that and i don't want to make that an sday habit.

i think maybe at some point someone on here said to make your Sday stuff really nice, present it on a nice plate, eat it openly. not sneaking chips and chocolate like a rabid animal! so i'll aim for that. a nice small plate, enjoy it openly. no reaching in for handfulls of x,y or z when no one is looking at me doing it. that just feels like "sneaking" behavior and that is the very thing i'm trying to get away from.

Looking forward to a new week. I hope to keep it green.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:28 pm

today has been a hard day for some weird reason . i think because i am dreading this workweek which starts tomorrow for me... and also because i'm frustrated with seeing fat on my body now that wasnt' there a few weeks ago. strange how those things would make me want to eat instead of the opposite. i hope i can get through with just my dinner. we shall see... that is definitely my intention.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 3:48 am

Oh MJ sometimes it is so bloody tough, isn't it. The only thing I do when it gets difficult is narrow my focus to its tiniest & fiercest & just concentrate on a plate, just a plate. Absolutely nothing else but a plate.

Courage, my friend. It does get easier & better. I promise.

A journey of a million meals begins with a single plate.

Amy3010 · Post by **Amy3010** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 7:50 am

Sorry yesterday was a struggle - hang in there, MJ! We all have those ups and downs...hope today is an up for you!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:12 pm

Monday ended up as a success but what was weird was I kept wanting to sabotage myself all day. But I didn't. Had more beverages than I wanted but didn't ruin the day. It is possible to be in a really bad frame of mind and not mess up.
Anyway so I think there are a few reasons I feel irritated lately. First, probably can't run until injuries subside. What I have decided to do is walk instead. 2x a week. Strength training 2x a week for upper body. One day elliptical. One day yoga and ab work. That will work for me and will keep me from overdoing it. I will reevaluate later. I was reading some articles about running and how many get injured and have to stop. Maybe my body is telling me that. Not sure yet. Only time will tell.
Also started a new job several weeks ago and not feeling sure about that just yet. It will take time too.
Just all of these things converging with the feeling I may have gained weight has been making me feel sad. But the problem is not the problem, it is with my attitude. I have so much to be thankful for - great family, job that is pretty laid back, and I am not really in too bad shape physically. Also I am thankful for nos and freedom from calorie counting. I need to remember that its really pretty good right now. And no matter what, just try and stick with the plan because even when I feel my worst, can still make the best decision for future me.

As for mods and calling them that... been thinking on this some more and really what I am calling mods is just further defining "don't be an idiot" for myself. I know what is too much and placing a few suggestions on sdays shouldn't harm anything since I can't really "fail" anyway. The ideas I have only make it easier for me to feel good about sdays and that is the most important part.

So "don't be an idiot" means for me: can have 1 reasonable s-event Friday 10pm if I choose, try to preserve meal times on sdays if possible, try to have an s-event with each mealtime if possible (but I don't have to!), no sneaking off to eat (put snacks on plates), have one higher calorie beverage only (if possible), stick to reasonable portions....

Amy3010 · Post by **Amy3010** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 7:08 pm

Not being able to run right now might have a lot to do with how you are feeling emotionally... I had to stop running due to injuries last August and I really struggled with depression and feelings of almost mourning for a few months until I got into a new groove of movement that made me feel good again.

I really like how you say that it is possible to be in a really bad frame of mind and not mess up! So true, no matter what is causing the bad frame of mind, we can still step back from it and make a choice not to let it influence us in our other behaviors.

Hang in there, MJ, you are doing great!

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:29 am

MJ7910 wrote:I kept wanting to sabotage myself all day. But I didn't.

I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!! But you didn't! That easy & that hard. You didn't. You chose not to. You dealt with your disappointment, your frustration, your depression, your worries and your upset without sabotaging yourself!!

And you did a beautiful self-inventory to remind yourself of all the good things you already got going for you! That mindful list of blessings discourages self-sabotage, doesn't it. Gratitude vs sabotage, gratitude will always win! Clever you!

Congratulations, eh!

Kudos, MJ!!

ZippaDee · Post by **ZippaDee** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:44 am

It is possible to be in a really bad frame of mind and not mess up.

This is HUGE!!! I love this!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:42 am

Well friends, after all that self examination, had a pretty bad mess up. Definitely stress eating on top on time of the month eating (sorry if tmi). But its OK because it was one of those things I could feel coming and I knew I would break my streak soon enough. It made me kind of anxious to have not messed up. I think I made it 4.5 weeks so not bad. I think my next step is trying to grasp the concept of enjoyment and moderation can go together. Would love to have a more moderate s-weekend.

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:27 am

It's OK to mess up, we all do. Just pick yourself up, brush off the crumbs and move on.

Amy3010 · Post by **Amy3010** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:01 am

Don't worry - it sounds like you learned something you can use next time when these kinds of moments crop up. Incremental improvement is what we are going for here, not perfection. Hang in there!

SpiritSong · Post by **SpiritSong** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:18 pm

One of the best parts about the No S Diet is that after messing up, we can get right back on the wagon. No punishment dieting afterwards. That's a pretty good feeling.

Once I got back into the 21-day Club, I'm not going to worry too much about keeping a streak alive. My goal is to have fewer NWS-Days/Failures in March than I did in February. So if I have a failure sometime this month, but still do better than February, it is overall a success.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:00 am

wednesday was another fail but not as substantial as tuesday. i managed to do my workout wednesday night so it was a partial success

Thursday - Success. got through today. really it does get hard when you mess up two consecutive ndays to get back on track but it can happen.

sometimes i wonder if sweets get me really hungry and make me feel out of control because they raise my blood sugar and i just want more and more. wonder if i could do better but just having stuff like unsweetened dark chocolate or things like that which are sweets but not the heavily refined sugar and milk chocolate varieties. anyone have good ideas for treats that are kind of sweet but not high in refined sugar? maybe this is a better option for me to choose on sdays instead of candy, sweets and stuff high in sugar.

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:40 am

The same thing happens to me. Sugar also makes me feel agitated.
I have my extra dark chocolate. If you get the kind that's 70 % or more cocoa its very low in sugar and won't cause cravings, and its actually good for you.When my hormones are acting up, I allow a little of these on N Days too, but only with a meal. I also have hot chocolate sweetened with stevia. Fresh sliced strawberries and bananas with half sour cream and half plain yogurt with a little vanilla and sweetened with a little stevia is really good.

SpiritSong · Post by **SpiritSong** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:19 pm

I was not a dark chocolate person in the past, but I have learned to enjoy it, and I buy the highest percentage I can find. I think I can get 84% at my grocery store. It really helps regulate the amount I eat too, because at that percentage, one or two squares is plenty.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:13 am

Hi MJ:

Refined (manufactured?) sugar is a destructive trigger for me, too, so I try & avoid it. When I am craving something sweet I usually turn to one of these to feed my sweet tooth:

1/> medjool dates
2/> +70% organic dark chocolate
3/> juicy sweet orange
4/> coconut butter mixed with chopped nuts and/or nut butter, dried cranberries, unsweetened coconut, cacao nibs or powder, honey or date paste (like a homemade chocolate bar minus the chemicals & manufactured crap)
5/> boiled thick flake oatmeal w/cinnamon, maple syrup, dried fruit
6/> dried organic fruit (ie: pineapple slices or papaya)
7/> herbal tea with honey, chai marsala
8/> (a) berry compote (berries cooked on the stove with a bit of juice in the bottom of the pot) served over polenta (or farina) made with milk, cinnamon, warm spices, vanilla, splash of maple syrup (quickie)
8/> (b) berry compote served over homemade black bean brownies (takes a bit of planning & longer to prepare, no white sugar)
9/> homemade from scratch cooked pudding (no white sugar!!)
10/> fruit smoothie with frozen fruit, coconut milk (or just milk), vanilla

I find these sort of "sweet treats" don't set me off binging on manufactured foods loaded with sugar/fructose/corn syrup, etc. The healthier sweeteners I use include: maple syrup, non-pasteurized honey, palm sugar, date sugar, date paste, stevia, blackstrap molasses.

It gets easier when you wrap your head around the fact that closing the door on manufactured, binge-y sweets means opening a door on real food made into tasty, nutritious & seriously delicious "sweet treats" that in moderation actually work with you - not against you!!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:00 am

NoBS, those suggestions sound fantastic and i will be trying some of them.

so i've had a questionable few days but i've learned a lot about moderation, having a pretty moderate s-weekend compared to my first few (despite messing up today)... and i have been getting exercise in every day which is even better!

so tomorrow just going to start fresh and try to make the 4 weekdays left great! and hoping for another moderate s-weekend this weekend too!

i think even if i mess up occasionally on n-days, the overall picture is getting more moderate and that is the goal. feeling pretty good despite a few missteps in other words.

what i've learned is i can't virtual plate dinner because i'm at home with so many options and so unless i put it on a plate, even if it feels stupid, i end up going overboard. i start rationalizing "well, this would have probably fit on a plate" or "but it's only carrots" and then before i know it, i've failed for the day. but i know that now and plan on making dinner always on a plate.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 2:00 am

3 good green days in a row. makes me feel pretty good.

1 more day this week and onto the weekend!

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:34 am

MJ7910 wrote:3 good green days in a row. makes me feel pretty good.

Congratulations, MJ!! No wonder you are feeling pretty good!

I was crazy busy at work this week and now I finally found some quiet time to catch up on everyone's news, I see you have gone green on me!!

Hope you have a super weekend & enjoy your hard won "S" days!!

r.jean · Post by **r.jean** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:59 pm

Sounds like you survived your slips and are moving on. Great!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 1:27 am

thanks everyone. what's funny about the slip ups is i didn't let them overwhelm me like i did last time. i quit noS last time because i couldn't stand messing up. but now i've realized even if i mess up, i can just not mess up the next day. the S days still come, there is no punishment for not doing well N days. I didn't even give much thought to "being moderate" these last few S-weekends. i just did it on my own. i think because i'm finally starting to realize it feels gross to be overfull. i don't like it. moderation just feels better. at some point i am hoping to settle at a decent weight. but it has become less of a "panic" feeling about not fitting the same in some pants. it's more like "well so i don't fit in those now, but maybe soon once i get this system down"... fully ready for an Nday tomorrow. i know it's always hard on Monday but I really want to put forth a great effort this week and hopefully not mess up. and if i do, just not be hard on myself. and like Dory on Finding Nemo says "Just keep on swimming"

Liz46 · Post by **Liz46** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 1:48 am

MJ, Your last post could have been written by me! There are so many points you hit on that I think you must be my clone! lol We will put our best foot/fin forward! Let's just keep on swimming!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:11 pm

today is going ok . ate a ridiculously huge lunch because i waited about 6.5 hours to eat after breakfast! but it's ok. i think i will just have a little dinner later and it shoudl be fine. lunch was pita bread (a lot of it), hummus dips, salad with chicken, apple, greek yogurt, fiber bar. it was a lot of food. but i think it was still within the guidelines of today and everything was actually fairly healthy. thinking about making myself a small beverage with coffee, milk, a little sweetener. not sure what i'll do for dinner tonight. probably should be something small, like i said before. one of my favorites has been oatmeal. filling and good. maybe i'll crumble up a protein bar in it. sounds awesome. i got a disturbing email from a friend who is still following diethead mentality. she is mad because i told her she has an eating disorder (the one where you are obsessed about eating healthy, tracking, etc) and she doesn't want to believe it so she's lashing out at me about it and acting like she's happy. i see how it rules her every waking moment. she has a lot of OCD tendencies so i just want her to stop but you know how hard it is to tell an obsessed person to stop. i totally understand her mindset because i didn't want to hear it either . when i was in the throws of my tracking and calorie obsession, i didn't want to hear from anyone that this was abnormal. i wanted to keep on doing it because i was hoping that somehow i would cease having binges and i would just magically think about food and exercise less. i hoped that by doing 'the diet' of the week that it would keep all fat off of my body. it just wasn't worth the mental anguish. but she's not there yet. she keeps pointing out things she needs to "work on" when she is one of the thinnest people i know and is well within the healthy range for her height. i guess i just need to work on not coming down so hard on her, because i've been there. just wish she'd listen... i guess i never did until i found a saner way of living my life so why should i expect any different from her. it's just frustrating to see it manifested in someone else. i know i need to approach it as "not talking about this" when someone brings up diets again. that would be so much more healthy for me mentally.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 1:40 am

MJ, if you keep at it, you are going to have lots of phases and insights that will actually probably change over time. But if you don't stick with it, you won't have a chance at them. You seem to know that now, after quitting and coming back.

I don't know if I should say this, but I gently suggest you try to give up wanting S days to get easy soon. I know since you can't exercise and you feel you've gained weight, you might be getting scared, but you are just getting going. If nothing else, you will likely learn a level of discipline over the next year that will serve you in good stead.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 1:44 am

MJ7910 wrote: it just wasn't worth the mental anguish. but she's not there yet.

Sometimes the best teaching tool is just role modeling the personal behaviors that helped you overcome your obstacles.

For me it is hugely important to keep some emotional distance from others who do not share/understand my fledgling philosophy and commitments.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:20 am

oolala53 wrote:MJ, if you keep at it, you are going to have lots of phases and insights that will actually probably change over time. But if you don't stick with it, you won't have a chance at them. You seem to know that now, after quitting and coming back.

I don't know if I should say this, but I gently suggest you try to give up wanting S days to get easy soon. I know since you can't exercise and you feel you've gained weight, you might be getting scared, but you are just getting going. If nothing else, you will likely learn a level of discipline over the next year that will serve you in good stead.

I agree, actually and glad you said it. I need to just take them as they come, that would make the most sense. I feel better about them now. I can still exercise, I just can't run very much. Gotta take it easier. It is difficult to not want them to be better, but I feel like they do get better on their own naturally. Great insight, and I appreciate your words of wisdom. And this is too good a system for me to give up. I never want to go back to diet insanity.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 3:14 am

I hadn't actually read your whole post on your friend with the eating obsession. I had to wonder if she asked for your feedback.

I see on Sparkpeople that there are people there that I consider to be a mess, but they get a huge amount of recognition and admiration for their habits. A women who brought chicken breast and crudites to a holiday family gathering so that she could get her weight under 130! She's 5'5". (She weighs 125 now and never eats more than 1200 calories in a day. She crows that her daughter claims she doesn't like junk food. I think her daughter had a good chance of developing anorexia.) She used to be morbidly obese and even after 7 years, is terrified of gaining the weight back. I told her once that she displayed classic signs of body dysmorphia and ED. She actually admitted it but said she couldn't give up the obsession. It really seems to me that a lot of the maintenance team there is in a similar boat. They keep talking about how hard maintenance is.

I heartily suggest that you make it a point of planning to have a lot of alternate topics to talk about when you're with her. Every time she tries to perseverate on eating stuff, go, uh-huh, and change the subject. That's what I often do with groups of women when they start diet talk. It really does work!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:33 pm

It was interesting how it came up. I have thought this about her for a while and finally had the guts to tell her and now she is trying to turn it around on me. I won't talk about her diet or exercise anymore and now she says I am condescending toward her because I change the subject. Oh well, I am done. Tried to respond to her email and she still is in denial. For my own mental health I am going to end it there.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:48 pm

If those discussion were all she was interested in in your friendship... but women do often bond over this issue in our culture. Some feminist writers years ago said it was a way for the hegemony to keep women distracted from their real plight! That and the need to be as beautiful as what they called "professional beauties." Their message doesn't seem to have gotten noticed, as it seems things have gotten worse over time, IMHO. We're not only supposed to weigh less now, but have to look like a body builder.

Even if we don't feel we've got to proverbially burn our bras, there really has to be something better to talk about.

Have you ever noticed that naturally slim people usually talk about food only when they are admiring it?

With that, I better get off the board so I can do something else to talk about.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:08 am

It is a shame how this seems to be the focus for some groups of women, there is more to life than our external beauty.

Another good day despite some stress. Getting better at not having food as my first thought when I am stressed. Really proud of that. It used to be that was all I thought about.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:24 am

I find it wildly liberating and extremely exhilarating being as plain as dirt!

Mind, it took me more than a few decades to understand exactly why!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 4:08 am

Congrats on feeling that S days aren't as burdensome. And after only 7 weeks! That's actually fast. Nice!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 1:11 pm

Well it was quite a weekend. The diet obsessed family friend who got into the discussion with me came over and stayed the weekend. I made the entire weekend not focused on food. She was really visiting the other members of my household too so it wasn't so bad for me to just get away whenever she wanted to talk about where she wanted to eat. I know she probably wanted to avoid the topic too after I told her she might have a problem with dieting so it wouldn't have been an issue anyway. but i deliberately decided to do what was healthy for myself and avoid having any mealtimes with her if i could. A few times i could see she was subtly trying to prove that she was not doing these things, but then when i logged on my computer i saw that the last page it was on was her profile on some calorie counting website so i know she's still doing it, despite her attempts to prove that she's not.
I deliberately choose to not ever discuss food/exercise with her again, or at least if she wants to talk about it, change the subject fairly rapidly! she just isn't someone who influences me in a positive way about these things . the hardest part is i can see she has some kind of eating disorder but she wont' even look at it or consider that it's a problem.
but i let go of it. she can decide at this point, i've said my piece.
anyway, despite all that i had a pretty good weekend, i actually did a pretty good job being moderate but still enjoying some wonderful treats. it is getting easier and easier. i am not focused on counting, tracking, etc. i just eat what i want on the weekends, when i want... i avoid the overfull feeling. i know when to stop a little better than i used to. on the N days i try and stick to my 3 meals and avoid any beating myself up if i have a slip. i just start the next day with my habit in mind.
i exercise like a normal person now and i don't count how many calories i've burned or obsess about if it was the right number. i walk about 3 miles when i walk, elliptical about 45 minutes or just do some weightlifting/yoga. i dont' stress about what i shoudl be doing anymore. i just let it be. and i love this!
lately i am also focusing on a more spiritual attitude, buddhism seems to really appeal to me. i like the idea of helping one's mind. i like the idea of suffering being caused in our minds, treating ourselves with respect as well as others and just existing in the present.
i feel like it's great to stay away from weighing myself. i may never do it again! or i may just wait until 2014 and do a yearly weighing. why should i bother to stress myself out over such nonsense. as long as i'm doing what i should, what difference should a number make.
today feels good and i hope i can continue in this positive attitude i am having. if that friend writes back i plan on just telling her i am staying away from all things that bring anxiety and negative thinking and so i dont' wish to discuss it with her. i think that's a good starting point. if she doesn't want to see it yet, there is not much i can do. you can't tell a person with an eating disorder that they have one, seems to always backfire . i wasn't willing to listen until i was willing to listen. why would she be any different? oh well, new N day and i really feel like i am loving this NoS. this is working so well and bringing me inner peace.

SpiritSong · Post by **SpiritSong** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 3:42 pm

Sounds like a healthy attitude. Live and let live. You do what you gotta do, and she'll do the same.

Congrats on the new exercise attitude too. It should make you feel good, not be something to obsess over. Kind of like food!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 4:44 pm

Unfortunately, sane eating practices are not going to appeal to the majority. The media and weight loss industry empires are very good at manipulating human desire. That's why we need our little tribe here. Besides, remember that I think Reinhard didn't even share it much until he had been at it four years. Let the long term peace do the talkin' a year or two from now. She's on her own path.

And you're on yours and doing VERY well!

sleepygirlzzzz · Post by **sleepygirlzzzz** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 5:00 pm

Congrats on managing a moderate, yet treat filled, weekend! It's great to see how far you've come in such a short period of time and I hope to be able to do the same and rein in my weekends in due course.

Wishing you a green-filled week!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 11:16 pm

well today i have gotten a green day. so i am pretty satisfied about that. had some emotional yuckiness pass through but didn't turn to food. i was thinking about getting out my drawing pad or maybe listening to some meditation lessons i just downloaded. just anything to not make it food . maybe tea would be ok but that's about it. the thought in my mind "food isn't going to make emotional yuckiness feel any better in the short term" and with that i conclude the day. it takes a while for yucky things to feel better and i do think time is the best healer.
thanks everyone for all your encouragement. one thing i'll say is i feel like i'm doing well right now and i hope it continues. but i know wild days get in there sometimes. just gotta do my best to go with the flow on Ndays and however Sdays are, i hope they are moderate but if not, nothing to beat myself up over. that strategy seems to work pretty well for me.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:25 am

OMG, MJ, I absolutely love what you are doing!! You are so on the right path, my dear!

Keep up the terrific work and candid self-analysis.

And most excellent job protecting yourself from toxic distractions that can kick you straight out of your own peaceful groove!

Have a terrific week, MJ!!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:58 am

today was good too. felt kinda hungry today so had more for dinner than i thought i was going to, but it was ok in the end. i think i did well despite that. ended up green and did my workout too.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:59 am

No BS wrote:OMG, MJ, I absolutely love what you are doing!! You are so on the right path, my dear!

Keep up the terrific work and candid self-analysis.

And most excellent job protecting yourself from toxic distractions that can kick you straight out of your own peaceful groove!

Have a terrific week, MJ!!

thanks, it feels really good! i am trying hard to avoid distractions.

gk · Post by gk » Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:45 pm

Hello-

Just wanted to drop by and give you a personal thanks for your note to my thread last month. You mentioned the idea of using a number scale, and I decided to take your advice. I just started it, but so far I really like it.

My poor eating habits are SO out of control that for the past couple months I literally try to be good for a few hours each day then give in....then just give up for the whole day. I've been in that cycle for so long that I was feeling totally hopeless.

I started again, but with the number scale this week and even though I'm reporting 2's, I don't feel so defeated and bad because I know I'm working my way up the number scale instead of looking at a big fat FAIL on my thread each day. Totally changed my outlook with this whole process.

Thanks again for your input! Helped me tons!

Good luck to you in your No S journey.

KL · Post by KL » Wed Mar 27, 2013 2:49 pm

"food isn't going to make emotional yuckiness feel any better in the short term"

How true is this! If one eats over a problem, then they have two problems

You're doing great - keep on keeping on.

I'm back to No S after suffering from diet head syndrome

for the past several months - I want a peace head again

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:12 pm

gk wrote:Hello-

Just wanted to drop by and give you a personal thanks for your note to my thread last month. You mentioned the idea of using a number scale, and I decided to take your advice. I just started it, but so far I really like it.

My poor eating habits are SO out of control that for the past couple months I literally try to be good for a few hours each day then give in....then just give up for the whole day. I've been in that cycle for so long that I was feeling totally hopeless.

I started again, but with the number scale this week and even though I'm reporting 2's, I don't feel so defeated and bad because I know I'm working my way up the number scale instead of looking at a big fat FAIL on my thread each day. Totally changed my outlook with this whole process.

Thanks again for your input! Helped me tons!

Good luck to you in your No S journey.

glad it helped! it's hard to think about failures sometimes so if you can get a little closer to success, you're doing a lot better than you did before. that's how i look at it. that's what i've been doing this time, even though i record failures sometimes i know what degree of a failure it is so i try to not get really bad failures. works for me. but then other days i just go way overboard . fewer of those than there have been in the past . it gets better every month it seems . i dont' use weeks or days as increments anymore, seems like too short of a time to see any major change.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:15 pm

KL wrote:"food isn't going to make emotional yuckiness feel any better in the short term"

How true is this! If one eats over a problem, then they have two problems

You're doing great - keep on keeping on.

I'm back to No S after suffering from diet head syndrome for the past several months - I want a peace head again

thanks! i totally agree about "diethead"... i feel like it is a diagnosable disorder. in fact,i found out it is! it is called orthorexia. many people are in denial that they have it, including myself about 6 months ago. but now i feel like i'm recovering from it. i won't say i don't still display some of those behaviors, but this system makes it so much eaiser to eat healthy, not obsess and still enjoy myself on the weekends without binging taking over . it is a great feeling! so much more freedom when you walk away from "diethead"... unfortunately by the time you walk away from it, usually your body is used to so few calories that you can gain a little weight that first month stepping away from "diethead" so then that causes a relapse to "diethead" for many... when if they just hung in there, they woudl find their habits stabilize, they are eating less just naturally without counting tracking or obsessing and they feel so much better!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:39 pm

I looked up orthorexia and found a site with a quiz. I answered No to all the questions and it still told me I may have it, somehow assigning me 2-3 points. I admit some of them I wavered on, I really don't think they rule me anymore.

But I know in the past I would have had to say yes to a lot of the questions. I think there are some long-term maintainers who would qualify. I'd say those with health conditions would be justified in some of these behaviors.

I don't think the term comes from the DSM. I think it's this doctor's baby.

http://www.quotev.com/quiz/200413/Orthorexia-Self-Test/

KL · Post by KL » Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:48 am

mj - yes, already i'm starting to feel some peace since returning to no s.

oolala - i looked up that site - very interesting. my diet head mentality doesn't come from eating too little food - it shows up in what i eat. i can really get caught up in the new shining gold way of eating - a way to definitely guarantee that i will be the absolute heathiest i can be. what could be wrong with that?

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:51 am

Good day today. And walked/ran 4.6 miles. Pretty good feeling.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 1:04 am

Awesome, MJ!

Have a terrific long weekend!

Amy3010 · Post by **Amy3010** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 8:00 am

Way to go! Hope you have another great day!

KL · Post by KL » Fri Mar 29, 2013 2:46 pm

Good job

Keep on trucking...

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 6:59 pm

MJ7910 wrote:Good day today. And walked/ran 4.6 miles. Pretty good feeling.

It's good to feel good!!

sleepygirlzzzz · Post by **sleepygirlzzzz** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 8:40 pm

Just wanted to say a quick thanks for your email.

Hope you're Friday is going well and that you have a moderately treat-filled weekend

gk · Post by gk » Sat Mar 30, 2013 3:26 am

You're doing great!!!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 1:49 am

Pretty good weekend. A little bit much but didn't feel overfull, so that's a good thing. Glad I got to enjoy some easter treats.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 5:52 am

Glad you enjoyed the treats. I did have a few Peeps last weekend. Oh, how I used to scarf package after package of those! Thought about getting a small package today and maybe a little milk chocolate bunny. Nah. Didn't miss them, though probably would have had some if anyone had offered me bite. Nice to feel I could share if I wanted.

So fun to watch your progress!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:53 am

Today was tough as I was really hungry. But I made it work.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:59 am

MJ7910 wrote:But I made it work.

It is ever thus. Good job, MJ!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 9:36 pm

I think i can call today green but dinner was a bit crazy. 1 piece of pizza, almonds, a few small hardboiled eggs, a protein bar. it would all fit on a plate just fine so i think it is ok but it is definitely a strange dinner! i kind of virtual plated but i want to avoid doing that as it tends to lead to overdoing it. this time i was able to walk away.

KL · Post by KL » Tue Apr 02, 2013 11:12 pm

Good for you for walking away - one of (if not the most) challenging things to do is just stop.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:30 am

MJ, your good habits really are sticking!

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 3:57 am

gk · Post by gk » Wed Apr 03, 2013 4:12 am

Looks like you are sticking to habit when it really counts. Keep up the great work!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:55 am

So after roughly 8 weeks of doing noS, I finally decided to weigh myself. It was just as I expected, gained about 8 lb. But I knew it would be some weight, so I accept that and move on. I was basically not living a good life due to eating minimal calories before, so I figured doing something like this would amount to a significant amount of weight. At this point I am not going to make major changes to the system or many mods, but will probably just try and make healthier choices on ndays and ask myself if this is what I really want to eat on sdays. I do believe over time things will adjust and slowly I hope to see weight loss again at some point.

Today was good. So far a decent week.

childoftheking · Post by **childoftheking** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 2:16 am

Fabulous attitude MJ!

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 2:39 am

MJ7910 wrote:So after roughly 8 weeks of doing noS, I finally decided to weigh myself. It was just as I expected, gained about 8 lb. But I knew it would be some weight, so I accept that and move on. I was basically not living a good life due to eating minimal calories before, so I figured doing something like this would amount to a significant amount of weight. At this point I am not going to make major changes to the system or many mods, but will probably just try and make healthier choices on ndays and ask myself if this is what I really want to eat on sdays. I do believe over time things will adjust and slowly I hope to see weight loss again at some point.

Today was good. So far a decent week.

I'm glad you were able to prepare yourself for this. They have proven this that if a person is deprived of what their body needs, when they start eating normally the body hangs on to every calorie for dear life. You are being set free from diet head and starvation diets, and now you are eating normally and moderately. It will take a while for your body to relax and allow you to lose gradually.

Jonas Jonasson · Post by **Jonas Jonasson** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 7:45 am

Hi brave girl,

I support Patty. And you have come so far already, the habit seems to stick, you're doing great and you have learned a lot. The weight will come off again.

sleepygirlzzzz · Post by **sleepygirlzzzz** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 12:14 pm

I agree with the others - what a great attitude. The mental freedom from dieting and calorie counting far outweighs this temporary blip.

Have a great weekend.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:09 pm

So yeah, not going to pretend it is not annoying but this is exactly why I wasn't weighing myself. Last time I tried no s I freaked out about the weight and went back to calorie counting. But now I am feeling that little voice again. "Oh maybe it would be better to go back to that". Then I remember how horrible it was to count calorieas and have to deny myself something I really wanted because it didn't fit for that day. I would end up eating stuff I didn't like and then rebelling by bingeing and then feeling awful and beating myself up. I still look pretty good and I may not be a size 4 anymore but maybe that was too small anyway. I look at how I have gained and because of my commitment to working out I think some of it has been muscle. So I am ok with that. I knew stepping back on would be hard but now that I feel I have somewhat grasped some of this habit I will just continue to practice it and see what happens. I am sure my body does feel like it was deprived so it is only natural for it to want to hold on to some weight.

SpiritSong · Post by **SpiritSong** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:14 pm

Go, MJ! Being a size 4 isn't worth it if you have to obsess about food all the time. For actresses, keeping small is part of their job, and the really successful ones can afford personal chefs and trainers. For models, I just saw another article come out about the horrible things they have to do to remain so skinny (like eating tissues!).

Life is too short to be obsessed about food. Keep up the healthy eating and exercise, and your body will be where it is supposed to be.

KL · Post by KL » Fri Apr 05, 2013 11:31 pm

MJ7910 wrote:but now that I feel I have somewhat grasped some of this habit I will just continue to practice it and see what happens. I am sure my body does feel like it was deprived so it is only natural for it to want to hold on to some weight.

Yay

Good for you

So, so hard not to revert back to the familiar safe zone - even though it maybe uncomfortable to count calories and there ends up being consequences with it, there is comfort and security in it. You should be proud of yourself

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 1:02 pm

my new plan is to just try and think about food less. my problem on Sdays is i was always thinking about what to eat next and not so much if i really wanted to eat it. i was basically just eating because i could. and i think that is why it got a little out of control. so i'm starting this weekend with the knowledge that i could have anything i want, but do i really want it? so far i've had a blueberry pancake and banana and tea. we'll see what happens for lunch. and the same for dinner. if i really want a snack or sweet i will have it in moderation. instead of 4 chocolates, just one is acceptable. i'm not denying myself but it doesn't give me the need to go wild all the time just because i can. but that opportunity is still there. i'll get to a point of comfortableness with this and i know my body will eventually lose weight again, i just have to learn to be reasonable and listen to myself. i do really think that Sdays are the hardest part of this whole system! strangely enough! not viewing them as a free for all is the hardest part. i know i dont' like to feel uncomfortably full so my plan is just act like the old me on the weekends, when i used to not worry about food at all. whatever happens, happens on sdays. with a little bit of thinking about "why am i eating this if i don't want it"

oh and I want to make this work because there is no way i want to be back in the prison of counting calories and obsessing! not planning on weighing myself for another month. just to make sure i'm sort of on the right track with this. i think with moderation this will come. i just have to be willing to monitor a little bit so that i never have to go back to the hell of tracking and counting again.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 2:36 pm

MJ7910 wrote:so i'm starting this weekend with the knowledge that i could have anything i want, but do i really want it? .................
oh and I want to make this work because there is no way i want to be back in the prison of counting calories and obsessing! not planning on weighing myself for another month. just to make sure i'm sort of on the right track with this. i think with moderation this will come. i just have to be willing to monitor a little bit so that i never have to go back to the hell of tracking and counting again.

MJ, absolutely fantastic progress! Congratulations on owning the wisdom of your experiences (good & bad) and having the courage & patience to trust & believe in yourself!

That is exactly what one must do to achieve their goals. Good job!

I hope you have a super enjoyable (& healthy!!) weekend. Cheers to good habits & good health!!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sun Apr 07, 2013 11:40 pm

well this weekend is coming to a close and i think it was ok. did pretty well today and didn't feel overfull at all. same with yesterday. did ok with moderating treats and still enjoyed myself . so despite knowing that i gained weight, i didn't really overdo it. i guess the realization now is that i need to learn to do this long term so that i don't gain a bunch more weight and that i do not have to go back to calorie counting ever again. the only way i can prevent myself from having to do that is to really practice moderation and learn how to make both Ndays and Sdays successful. Also ran about 4.7 miles today, one of my longest distances. Doing the run felt great because this is a long distance and had i overeaten, i would not have been able to do the run. because i would have felt gross. but i was able to which means things are getting more moderate. I'm actually finding i desire sweets less. i still have an occasional thing here and there on sdays but it's not the manic free for all it used to be.

KL · Post by KL » Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:48 pm

MJ7910 wrote: didn't feel overfull at all. same with yesterday. did ok with moderating treats and still enjoyed myself .

Yay

Awesome

- especially the enjoyment part.

sleepygirlzzzz · Post by **sleepygirlzzzz** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:06 pm

You're doing so well and sound like you're in such a great mental place - it's very inspiring!

gk · Post by gk » Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:23 pm

MJ7910 wrote:I'm actually finding i desire sweets less. i still have an occasional thing here and there on sdays but it's not the manic free for all it used to be.

Omigosh.......the words we ALL wish to utter. HUGE accomplishment!!!! Way to go!!

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:52 am

MJ7910 wrote:Also ran about 4.7 miles today, one of my longest distances. Doing the run felt great because this is a long distance and had i overeaten, i would not have been able to do the run. because i would have felt gross. but i was able to which means things are getting more moderate.

MJ, I am so happy that everything is coming together for you! What a terrific feeling.

And you & your running, like some other incredible people on this thread, are a total inspiration to me!! I dream of running 4.7 miles & hope I will be able to by this summer!!

Huge huge goal of mine. You give me hope that I will be able to accomplish it! Thanks!!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:46 am

No BS wrote:
MJ7910 wrote:Also ran about 4.7 miles today, one of my longest distances. Doing the run felt great because this is a long distance and had i overeaten, i would not have been able to do the run. because i would have felt gross. but i was able to which means things are getting more moderate.
MJ, I am so happy that everything is coming together for you! What a terrific feeling.

And you & your running, like some other incredible people on this thread, are a total inspiration to me!! I dream of running 4.7 miles & hope I will be able to by this summer!! Huge huge goal of mine. You give me hope that I will be able to accomplish it! Thanks!!

wanted to comment that i have not always been able to do this distance, i have had to work up to it from not really running at all. i started with couch 2 5k program on my phone, ran and walked together. it takes a long time - i have only been running for about a year or so now and it definitely requires time to get to the longer distances. i really enjoy running, it's just that sometimes my body tells me to stop and walk and i listen to it . it's not that i'm out of breath even, it's my calf or knee saying to walk. so that is frustrating but i'm dealing with it. if i can do 5 miles in under an hour i feel pretty happy about that! even if i have to walk some of it because my body says i should . so i believe, NoBS, that you will get there, just be patient with yourself.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:47 am

gk wrote:
MJ7910 wrote:I'm actually finding i desire sweets less. i still have an occasional thing here and there on sdays but it's not the manic free for all it used to be.
Omigosh.......the words we ALL wish to utter. HUGE accomplishment!!!! Way to go!!

thanks, i feel better even though i know i'm not as "thin" as i was then. i almost don't even care because i don't feel like i'm in a mental prison anymore and that is way better than weighing less!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:48 am

sleepygirlzzzz wrote:You're doing so well and sound like you're in such a great mental place - it's very inspiring!

thanks - it truly takes time and patience. so glad i didn't give up on NoS this time.