Sonya's checkin

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:48 am

Sounds like you're doing great overall. Good to see you're still around and thanks so much for stopping by my thread.

Linda

Lovedby2 · Post by **Lovedby2** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 5:42 pm

Hi osoniye. Thanks for stopping by with the encouragment. Wow, you have been No Sing for a long time. Thank you for sharing your insights and wisdom. There is so much to learn. Good luck with No Sing for the long haul!!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 4:12 am

Thanks, Linda and Lovedby2!
Doing fine here. I was a little bit disappointed that after over a month back (Feb 13-Mar 21) since my restart I have only lost a little over a pound. But so be it.
I have had a few red days lately. One, I should have taken as a NWS day as it was social and worth it, but since I didn't plan that in advance, will consider it red. Also a few minor fails with a square of dark chocolate or something to get the taste of a meal with raw onions out of my mouth.
There were a few days when I was going quickly from work to an event and didn't have time for supper so just ate a banana on the way... that worked surprisingly well, and I wasn't even that hungry by bedtime either day! Something about the "resistant starch", I guess.
Desptite the slow movement of the scales, I am fitting into a pair of jeans that were too snug to wear comfortably a month ago, and they feel fine, so that's really nice!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 9:56 am

Doing all right here. I think I'm 4# down since restart, which is even slower weight loss than the last time I restarted, but I think that's helping me steel my resolve to stick to NoS even when I'm traveling next time!
I made up a big pot of oatmeal which I sometimes have for breakfast, but if I should happen to do something else at breakfast time, I might eat a bowl for lunch or supper.
I've also been in the habit of making a big pot of soup and eating a bowl of that for lunch until it runs out. That fills me up and holds me pretty well, even though it's not high in calories.
I gave in to a heavy snack the other night and really regretted it... I should brush my teeth after supper even if I think I will give in any way, because if I do so, I really may not give in after all. I don't particularly enjoy going to bed feeling hungry, but I REALLY hate rolling around on a full stomach at night.

Kittson · Post by **Kittson** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 11:51 am

I brush my teeth when the urge to snack gets strong too. I think it really works. I agree, going to bed hungry is not fun, but there is nothing as miserable as trying to sleep while full. In the past when I would overeat before bed, I would be up all night miserable because my body was working so hard to digest the food. How awful!

Congrats on the 4# down!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 4:07 pm

Hi and thanks for stopping by with encouragement Kittson!

This is ever a learning experience. I ate a light late breakfast, snacky lunch and then was "starving" for supper. So I had a too heavy plate of salmon pasta salad which was yummy, but unnecessarily large. I know intellectually that if I feel very hungry, that is a sign I should eat my next meal on time, but it doesn't mean I necessarliy need a bigger meal. At least I'm paying attention now. I hope next time I'll remember and put my effort into making sure I slow down and enjoy every bite, and not try to make up for being overly hungry by becoming overly full!
It's funny, I rarely use sugar unless I am baking a treat to take somewhere. There is a sugar sortage where I live, and often when I get around to trying to buy some for baking, I find it has been off the shelves for 6 weeks or more. I get a kind of "How could you not know this?" type of response from shopkeepers. I do sometimes take sugar in coffee when I'm at a cafe, and eat baked goods when I'm with people, oh, and packet cocoa drinks, but it seems my sugar consumption really is quite low.
Well, I've gone for my evening walk and brushed my teeth, so I'm ready for another eating day to begin tomorrow.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 2:29 pm

I had a nice weekend, with one big meal on Sunday to celebrate Orthodox Easter. There was a bread and coffee snack in the afternoon, but I didn't need any supper.
Today I ate a starch heavy entree for lunch- a whole plate of it, and it was too heavy and made me sleepy. I have only myself to blame, as I was eating at home, but it would have taken more effort to make a salad than I wanted to put forth. It was tempting to "punish" myself by eating only veggies for supper, but I didn't give in to that urge, and will just take this as something to learn from. I really feel better physically with a half heavy, half light (veggies) plate of food!

jbgnos · Post by **jbgnos** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 2:28 pm

Its such a different (and better) story when we eat something that we know won't probably make us feel the best, as opposed to just "doing what I do" and then having no idea why I got a massive stomach ache/the drowsies/no energy, whatever!

Sometimes I put my plate together and think, "ugh. I've had this meal every lunch this week" but I know it, and it works for me and is just easier, so I do it. Then I know when I'm eating it that its less than exciting and I can change it tomorrow. Used to be such that I would just put the healthiest or lowest calorie meal together for my work lunch, and then be stumped as to why I was so hungry and unsatisfied.

I don't know if this is making any sense, but I guess I mean my AWARENESS now makes these less-than-stellar experiences just so different! I'm actually conscious of what's going on in my food and in my body.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 12:04 pm

Hi, jbgnos- yeah I totally know what you mean about awareness!
Well, I've been checking in the past few days on the http://www.everydaysystems.com/bb/viewt ... 081975f079 page. I am trying to go No Added Sugar from April 15-July 15. So far, so good.
Yesterday I took the "sometimes" clause at supper time, and not only skipped dessert, but decided to forgo seconds as well. It's funny how it seems like a "liability" of NoS that we often overeat on S days just because. It really doesn't need to be that way. Yesterday I enjoyed a heavy plate of really yummy food at a dinner thing in the evening and it was so satisfying and I didn't feel overfed or underfed after 1 plate; it was just right. I know that special food can be a treat, even if it doesn't require one of the S's, and I hope I'll be able to enjoy special meals on that basis regularly from now on!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Wed Apr 29, 2015 3:44 am

Things are going along really well. I think this switch to No Added Sugar for 3 months is one of the best decisions I've made lately! Most of my temptations to have a red event are related to someone turning up with something sweet during the week, and me thinking one small serving will be worth it. Now that I'm NAS, I just say "no", so my days have been green.
I feel better on the weekend eating mostly like an N day, but I can have seconds if I want to, or a snack. But I'm finding that most of the snacks used to be sweets, so I'm able to avoid needless snacking by avoiding sugar.
Lately, I've been eating one large meal (lunch) and 1 or 2 smaller meals. I haven't been hungry much, just a little bit at bedtime, but generally I sleep better when I don't have a full stomach, so that is all good. I can feel my clothes getting a little bit looser, so even without weighing in, I am encouraged to keep this up.

Lovedby2 · Post by **Lovedby2** » Wed Apr 29, 2015 5:06 pm

Hi Osonyie! Just stopping by to say hello. Looks like you are doing so well. I admire the no sugar endeavor. People say they feel so much better with no sugar. Although I wouldn't know.

Good luck, and let us know how you are doing and feeling.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Apr 30, 2015 4:11 pm

Thanks for stopping by with encouragement, lovedby2!
Had an odd, snacky supper tonight, but it was 1 plate of wholesome, savory food, so all is well. A coworker said she is holding off serving something sweet at tea time because of my program. I assured her that I'm fine with others eating sweets around me, but that I won't participate. It feels nice to be expressing a reasonable, healthy boundary.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat May 02, 2015 8:20 am

I can still feel my clothes getting looser, but the scales isn't budging much, which is a little bit discouraging. Well, I'll keep doing what I'm doing, and hope the scales catches up with what feels like progress.
I had some artificial sweetener in my flavored coffee this morning, for the first time since starting this no added sugar thing. Can't tell if that set off cravings or not, but I did enjoy a big bowl of peanut oil popped popcorn as a mid-morning S day treat. I've been able to stick to the no added sugar mod. I expect to have seconds with supper tonight, at a friend's house, but no sweets/dessert.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sun May 03, 2015 4:44 pm

I kind of overdid it with the seconds last night. At a friend's house, the only thing on the table was a one-pot pasta dish, so I ate kind of a lot. I didn't know there would be fruit salad for dessert, which would fit in with my No Added Sugar act. I ate a good sized bowl of the fruit salad, but would have had less of the pasta if I had known it was coming. Oh, well. I guess avoiding sugar means sometimes guessing wrong about how much of the entree to eat when the next thing to be served is an unknown. I suppose next time I'd rather err on the side of taking a bit less. This friend knows I'm trying to avoid sugar, so I expect she may serve sugarless things for afters.
I had another huge bowl of popcorn for my S day treat today, and think I might need to stop buying popcorn for a little while. I think now that I'm not eating sweets, popcorn is next in line of things I have a hard time stopping once I get started. I won't avoid it long term, but think I need to give it a little break.
I made "cauliflower rice" this evening, and it turned out really well! I think that might be something I do pretty often. It's tasty and light, and if it fills half my plate, that's fine because it fills the "rice" need, but is not a starch that I would try to keep as 1/4 of my plate.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat May 09, 2015 8:55 am

Had a bit of a red mishap the other day involving a coworker bringing good German chocolate to the office. I only had a few squares and they were very satisfying. It seemed that since I haven't been eating sugar, I was more sensitive to it, and didn't even want a whole bunch.
I also had some sweet creamer in a cup of coffee after a night of very little sleep. Thought it might help jolt me awake, but it didn't do much either way.
Still feeling generally better avoiding sugar. I think I was compensating for the calories missed with some really good full cream milk powder in my coffee. Will stop that this week. Looks like I've been losing about 1/2# per week lately. That is a little bit disappointing, but still headed in the right direction. I hate that whenever I go off NoS (vacations, etc.) I gain an average of 1kg per week. I hope this knowledge will keep me on habit in July when I leave the place I normally live for a month or so. I really want to stay on NoS this time and not face another re-start!

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Sat May 09, 2015 11:19 am

Sonya, I went on a six week vacation last summer and no-essed my way through it: I came home 3 pounds lighter. I was able to continue cooking more or less normally although I had to adjust to different ingredients. (got to Love the internet) And when we went out I did my best to stick to one plate/no sweets. Of course, I was far from 100% successful but it is doable. I also made my plan before I left home so I was able to jump right into it and not figure it out on the fly. I mean, about how to handle the travel time; I.e. when and what I was going to eat and the first day after arrival so that I was able to start out on the right foot. Like I said. . . Not perfect but doable. Good luck.

Your doing great. I personally have grown to like the slow loss because I feel like I'm making real changes that will stick as I age although sometimes I think it is a bit too slow. One day I did the math: if I lose 1 pound a month that is 12 in a year (obviously) Well, I plan on being here in a year. Wouldn't it be nice to be 12 pound lighter? 2 years: 24 pound: 3 years etc, ect. I've been steadily gaining for 20 years. Why do I think it should take less time to get it back of again? (Short answer: the diet industry. Honest answer: I don't have a really good reason for believing that. I just want to

Anyway, my point: you are doing great. Just keep doing what you're doing and you'll get there in the end. Enjoy your weekend.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Mon May 11, 2015 8:38 am

gingerpie wrote:Sonya, I went on a six week vacation last summer and no-essed my way through it: I came home 3 pounds lighter.

Wow, gingerpie, that's great. I hope that will be my experience one day. Thank you for stopping by with encouragement. Many good things in your post!

I've been doing fine. I took Friday as a NWS day, because I knew I wouldn't have much going on this weekend. I ate with a friend at a fancy restaurant, which served small portions Friday night, so that wasn't actually an S, but I had a snack of peanuts and roasted grains afterwards. Weekend treats were seconds of a really good vegetable bean soup I made.

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon May 11, 2015 11:20 am

Hi Sonya,

Just reading my way through the threads and saw some very thoughtful comments of yours! Way to go

Thanks for the food for thoughts!

Also, delighted the no-sugar is going ok and probably ok to have some German chocolate from time to time

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sun May 17, 2015 6:52 pm

Hi eschano, Thanks for stopping by with kind and encouraging words.
I mostly kept to a 3 meal structure this weekend, which I like.
I did overeat at a potluck on Saturday, but so be it. I liked the strategy of taking a fruit salad, so I had had something to eat for "dessert" which was in keeping my no added sugar deal. Otherwise, mostly moderate, enjoyable eating!
I missed my weigh-in this week. I usually weigh on a friend's scales, in Kg, one evening per week. The # means nothing to me; I just track if it is going up or down, which is a good way for me to look at it. She's been out of town, so I'm hoping to see clear progress when she gets back. I always imagine my clothes are loosening up, but it's all very gradual!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon May 18, 2015 5:58 am

Glad you're doing well and had a decent weekend. Good for you for not weighing too much. It can really mess with you otherwise!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Mon May 25, 2015 7:49 am

Yeah, Linda, the scales- friend or foe?!
Not much to report. I took a NWS event for a friend's birthday and ate some sweet stuff... that seemed to give me some unwelcome craving for sweets. I hope I can keep the rest of this 3 months free from added sugar. I don't know of any other special events coming up, and I feel much better physically in a sugar free world.
Otherwise, S days went well... I pigged out (in a good way) on Saturday with a pad Thai "inspired" pasta dish at a friend's house and some savory Indian snack and peanuts afterwards. So yummy.
I have made some savory muffins to take to an event, and am trying to think of something good to take to a potluck on Thursday (national holiday here). I haven't decided yet whether to take that as an NWS event, or just eat one plate of savory food.
I still seem to be losing about 1/2# per week or maybe even close to 3/4# on average. Slow and steady wins the race but it can be a little bit frustrating!

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:50 pm

You are doing so well Sonya!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Wed May 27, 2015 5:54 am

Thanks for stopping by, eschano.
I have an event tonight- an end of school art program in which some of my friends' kids will be participating. There will be poetry read, paintings on display, etc., and hors d'oeuvres. There is some sort of cake thing that is supposed to be the piÃ¨ce de rÃ©sistance. Normally, I would plan a NWS event, or wind up with a fail, but I'm really psyched to enjoy the event itself, and have a plate of savory snacks as my supper. I'm hoping that really having my head in the game will make this work out!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu May 28, 2015 7:29 am

Hi Sonya ! How'd the event go? Did your plan work out okay?

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Fri May 29, 2015 9:37 am

Thanks for stopping by, Linda!
Yes, it went well the other night at the "Arts Show". I had to virtual plate, due to the way the hors d'ouevres were set up, but I managed OK. I'm pretty sure what I ate would have only filled a small plate. The food was delicious, but there wasn't too much of it, due to budgetary constraints. It may have had a better turn out than expected.
I ate a variety of mini pizza, cheese sticks, Korean sushi, pesto on bread rounds and bacon wrapped green beans. I did have a small glass of punch, as there was nothing else to drink (tap water is not safe here). It wasn't extremely sweet, so I won't count that as a fail, though it bends the no added sugar rule I have for myself just a tad. I was very proud of myself for turning away from some amazing looking chocolate truffles! I felt good physically after eating, rather than the drowsy way I would get on sugary things at such an event.
The kids' art work was really good (some of it, at least) and there was a recorder group playing something very old and then a couple of jazz singers, and poetry in addition to drawings and paintings. It's so fun to be invited to things like that!

We seem to have a large mouse in the kitchen, which is really freaking out my housemate. It's getting colder and rainier here, and it seems they like to come inside for the breeding season. Unfortunately we have a short but wide gap under the cupboards that go around the kitchen and under the sink. On the plus side, it's helping me get more organized to get edible stuff into suitable containers and out of harm's way. (We're borrowning a neighbor's cat for overnight stays.)

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sun May 31, 2015 10:15 am

On my weekly weigh-in, I have lost a whole pound this week! It might be water weight shifting around or whatever, but I'll take it, in any case!
I forgot I would have another funny eating event this afternoon. This was the last of the child oriented events of this spring- a piano and violin recital with heavy snacks afterwards. The kids did a great job, and I was able to get a plate of small quiche squares, some savory turnovers and part of a plain croissant, and that was supper.
As I've said before, the contrast between how well I felt after this, compared to how I used to feel after pigging out on the available sweets at such an event is huuuuge.
Tomorrow afternoon is a farewell for some people who are leaving soon, and it is billed as coffee/tea/cake. I plan to get something to drink and socialize.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 5:37 pm

Well, I've had some success at more events that I had to attend. At one, I just skipped eating anything (there were only cookies and banana bread on offer), and just had a hot drink. And at the other I ate a few crackers and some cut up fruit they had, and called that supper.
I've had an awful craving for sweets when I am at home, though, and have some fails as a result. I thought I had cleared out all the candy in my house, but lo and behold, I managed to forage in a purse I haven't used for a few weeks and also in a box in my closet where I'd hidden a few pieces of candy. I didn't even remember putting any there, but thought I'd better check every nook and cranny when I was feeling desperate, and there it was! I really need to keep from bringing anything sweet into the house. I have a small box of Japanese sesame sweets which I am saving to serve to guests, but I fear its days are numbered if I keep getting these cravings!
I'm not sure what the cause of sugar craving is right now. The only 2 things I can put my finger on are that I've been eating hash browns with breakfast for the same 2 days this has been a struggle. Maybe that's setting this off? And I have lost a little bit of weight, so maybe my body is feeling the loss. I guess it could also be an extinction burst, in which case I am in trouble, as I've given in to a small amount of candy on 2 different occasions.
Well, I'm resolved to try again, and tomorrow is a new day. I think I will stop it with the hash browns at breakfast time, and make sure I get some fruit in early in the day, which often helps with satiety in general. I also need to make sure my plates are heavy enough.

Lovedby2 · Post by **Lovedby2** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:14 pm

Thought you wrote " I've been having hash brownies for breakfast!" Hahahaha Now that will make you have sugar cravings! I always think of sugar as a reward so whenever I loose weight I always crave sugar. Now I plan something really good on S days and that seems to work, most of the time.

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eschano · Post by **eschano** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 9:21 am

Sonya, your post had me in stitches! It reminded me of all the times I desperately search the house for sweets and I, too, always find them somewhere! My friend once went so far as to hitchhike (yikes) to a gas station so she could get nutella at 23.30pm haha! The things we do for sugar...

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 1:06 pm

Hi Lovedby2- No, no brownies for me lately! Hmmm, I wonder if the craving for sugar is for the psychological "reward", or if it's that your glycogen and fat stores are low and your body wants to replenish-? We're such a mix of the mind and body, it's hard to separate them out. I'm glad the right S day treats give you what you need there.
Yeah, eschano, desperate times call for desperate measures! I guess I should be glad I didn't have he urge to hitchhike somewhere in the middle of the night. I actually can do pretty well in the supermarket if I put my mind to it... all bets are off once something sweet is in the house, though. I think I should use my modicum of self control to keep things I don't want to be eating away from the shopping cart altogether.
I actually thought I'd run across a bag of "dried plums" (a prune by any other name...) yesterday, but I had stashed them somewhere else. (Found them today.) I don't have a problem with eating dried fruit in moderation, so that was the allowable "sweet substitute" for today. I think there might be something to those hash browns, as I haven't been as hungry/snacky feeling today and the sugar craving was headed off with a few prunes. So far today is green. Just one more meal and a tooth brushing to go and I should be safe!

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 1:12 pm

Sonya, when I get really bad sugar cravings it's often because I'm tired - and of course sugar would be soothing and just the thing I need, my "naughty self" tries to tell me! Sometimes it's because my meals haven't been satisfying...maybe I've settled for something, for one reason or another, when I really wanted to eat something else. But all the other reasons that have been mentioned make sense as well.
I have two tactics that work for me most of the time: I make a glass of chocolate milk and drink it slowly (but I use sugar-free Nestles Quik) or I suck on a Jolly Rancher (a piece of hard candy that takes a long time to dissolve). I suppose the hard candy is technically a fail, but I look at it as a save from an even bigger fail.
Anyway, thought I'd jump in and offer some safer suggestions besides hitchhiking in the middle of the night

Mimi

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:25 am

Hi Sonya!

Great to see you still hanging in there & making progress. I'm a savory girl myself so hard for me to relate to the sugar cravings but we all have our weaknesses (chips & dips make me weak in the knees ðŸ˜).

It's almost the weekend--yay!!

Linda

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 4:36 pm

Hi Mimi- Thanks for stopping by and sharing your tips for getting over sugar cravings. You always have such good ideas! I didn't even know that Nestles Quik came in sugar-free. That sounds like an idea drink to give a few calories (from the milk) and give a bit of "sweet" taste in a reasonable drink form.

Hi Linda- Yeah, I can relate to a weakness for chips & dips, too. I really enjoy savory things, but I don't seem to get the same type of cravings for them, and I'm able to enjoy them, but know when to stop. When it comes to sweets, I tend to lose my objectivity and "must have them now!" and don't seem to know when to quit. I think I really am better off avoiding sweets entirely. It's just hard to make a hard and fast rule, as there are social pressures, as well as just wanting to enjoy them from time to time.

Well, Saturday was a fine S day. I had some good food, but didn't go overboard. I mostly kept to one plate meals, but did enjoy a plate of fruit salad after lunch, and then a handful of cashews as a snack. I had made some uber healthy vegan banana muffins over a week ago (you know, flax instead of the egg, over-ripe bananas instead of the sugar, pumpkin instead of the fat... whole grain flour all the way). I threw them in the freezer. At first I thought they were kind of awful, but out of the toaster for breakfast they're actually pretty good! And they are pleasantly sweet without having any sugar added. A nice change of pace.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 11:02 am

The rest of the weekend went OK. I had a 3 hour meeting Sunday afternoon, and there was some not very good pizza on offer- I had several pieces and made that my lunch. That only made it onto the very small plates by stacking, so it was just as well it was an S day.
I think I actually have ALL the chocolate based candy cleared out of my house! There isn't a single corner I haven't checked. That is kind of a relief, really. My end of meal treat continues to be prunes, which is fine, and they are self limiting for obvious reasons. The thing I seem to be overdoing now is peanuts... but I'm not going to try to cut down on them... I'm still losing about 1# per week, and they have healthy fat and aren't carb laden. There's bound to be something that I'm tempted to overdo, and I think peanuts are something I can live with. No alcohol and no sugar, still, and a friend who is bringing the snack to a meeting tonight is making some egg-rolls with me in mind. A small plate of those will be supper.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 4:14 pm

I ate lunch yesterday at the home of a naturally thin family, and as I feared, I left feeling really hungry. It wasn't a special invitation; my friend just invited me to stay for whatever they were having out of the fridge. That ended up being some pita bread with tomatoes, avocado, a tiny of bit of cheese, mayo, salsa... that was about it. I had 1 1/2 pieces of the very thin bread with that other stuff kind of wrapped up in it. I think the husband had just 1, and the daughter just 1/2. No one could hold another bite. Except for me. Wow, I came home and grabbed a handful of peanuts to make up the protein end of the virtual plate. Do people really have such small appetites?! My friend did comment that her son (who wasn't home) has been consuming a lot of food lately, and dishes that used to provide enough for leftovers, are now being sort of vacuumed up by him. She finds this kind of frustrating. I can feel his pain!

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 4:48 pm

Sonya, this cracks me up because I have a teenage son and I think you should feel her pain not his. I seriously can not make enough food to have left overs. I know what you're thinking . . . "just make more!" . . . but I swear to you, it doesn't work

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:39 pm

Yes, it does seem that a lot of people eat less than we think. I've been browsing information on longevity zones in the world. In Ikaria, Greece, the women average only about 1100 calories a day, with a variation of +/- 470 calories. Minus 470! And that's with daily exercise. Those must be some very short women. But they also don't plunge themselves there after decades of overeating. Weaning is a respectable process, in my mind, one likely to take years rather than weeks or months, depending on several variables.

Virtual plating sounds quite justified, though the fat intake is 2x the protein in peanuts. I bet your body wanted fat, too!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 6:25 pm

Hi Gingerpie- Yeah, I think my friend wanted me to feel her pain, too! I guess I'm so jealous of this boy... to have that metabolism, where he can eat anything and everything he wants and not gain an ounce of fat... just seems so wrong that everyone isn't jumping to facilitate his complete enjoyment of that state, because I know from experience those years come to a halt eventually! I really love to eat... wish I could have a free metabolism pass for a month or 2. It's sad to think that ship has sailed!

Hi oolala- Wow, 1100 minus 470... that's what, 630 calories/day?! I wonder if some of the ladies survive on that, or if it means they might go under some days and over some days. If they're getting full on those rations, I'd really like to see a breakdown of their daily intake! I can't imagine.
Yeah, the peanuts. I've been eating kind of a lot of peanuts lately, as I'm trying to buckle down on keeping the plates 1/2 veg. In that case, I seem to need the extra fat for satiety. On the internet, it seems that most experts think peanuts are healthy, and a few find fault with the saturated fat. But I rarely eat red meat, butter or eggs these days, so I don't think that's going to be a big problem. Many recommend about 4 oz per week, but I think I put that many away most days! However, I seem to be still losing almost ~1# per week, so I'm gonna keep on doing what I'm doing.

I've done well with the No Added Sugar this week, and find it keeps the snack monster away, too. I had heavy lunches this weekend, including seconds of some yummy chicken and rice!
I've lost 13# since my last restart in mid-February. The think I fear that weight loss tends to make my face look older. And every time I get back down to a weight I'm happy with, I AM older than the last time, so there's that. The very funny thing is that people here keep telling me how fat I am getting, as if I've continued to gain these past few months rather than lose. It is a traditional society, and weight gain is still associated with being healthy and well off, while weight loss is associated with illness or falling on hard times. Perceptions are so funny. Well, at least it makes me think it must not be coming off my face too fast, or people wouldn't keep saying that!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 6:53 pm

I"m a big fan of adding nuts for fat/satiety, though I'm more likely to use walnuts/ almond butter/pecans. For some reason, I want more and more peanuts, but not the other nuts. If they hit the spot for you, that's perfect! Plenty of room for our own preferences.

I suspect those women eating very little are, as I said, very short, and probably a lot older with a reduced appetite. Ikaria is known for a high percentage of people over 90. I'd also bet no one is purposely eating so little. Certainly nothing to emulate.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 5:27 am

You're doing fantastic! I think about 1 lb/wk is perfect. It's enough to keep you motivated but usually (hopefully) doesn't take so much effort that you're feeling extremely deprived.

I know what you mean about worrying losing weight makes you look older. A lot of ppl comment on how young I look but all the sudden I've been noticing my hands & neck area looking much more wrinkly & I can't help but wonder if it's from the weight loss. Oh well there's always a downside. I still think I look better like this & I definitely feel a lot better so that's what matters.

Have a great week!

Linda

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:22 am

On the other hand. . . We are getting older

I remember the first time I looked in the mirror and saw my oldest sister looking back at me. I also remember the first time I looked in the mirror and saw my Mother Looking back at me. Most recently I looked in the mirror and thought, "Who is that woman? " I'm lucky though. Overall I'm very healthy so I don't notice my age unless I'm passing by a mirror.

Enjoy your week. I'm sure it will be filled with adventure.

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:22 am

Lol Gingerpie! I had to laugh so hard at your last post. What we really need is to see the beauty in aging. I know a lot of old women (and I'm talking 80+ here) who are still stunners.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 3:18 pm

But it's gotta be okay to NOT be a stunner, too. Just like No S, get a routine down and forget about it.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 6:55 am

Thanks for stopping by, everyone!
I guess we all have to come to terms with different aspects of aging, at different times, as we are able. I have never been "a stunner", so I doubt I will become one in my 80's, but I guess you never know!
Oolala- My preference for peanuts is really economically driven! Where I live, there are peanuts grown locally, available for a little over $1/# raw, or $2/# roasted. Tree nuts are all imported and are upwards of $20/#. I agree, it seems like I could eat peanuts indefinitely and tree nuts are more satisfying! I scoop out ~1/3c which is about 2 oz., to have as part of a meal.
I am still benefiting from the No Added Sugar thing. I observe that the things that used to derail me on N days were usually sweets. And when I think of the things I could overeat on S days, that are not all that satisfying, and where I "can't eat just one", it was usually sweets. The special treats which I enjoy now are a serving of french fries, or seconds of some special dish that someone has made, or special hors d'oeuvres. I can manage to stop with these things.
I will need to be careful on my next trip to the US, which is scheduled for July 13- Aug 18. Some things that are not sweets,which I cannot be tempted by where I normally live are: drive-thru fast food, carry-out pizza, and bags of crunchy snack food. In thinking of a plan I might actually follow... so far, I am thinking of following NoS (S days will be Tuesdays and Wednesdays), with minimal junk food, no sweets, and making my last 5 or 6 days in the US to be capital S days, where anything goes. I think if I don't have something "idiotic" to look forward to, I'll be an idiot the whole time! (That is what usually happens, and then I go through yet another restart. I really want to avoid that!!)

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 8:31 am

I think the thing about aging is that whether you are a stunner becomes a lot less about genetics (as opposed to young people, let's be honest, that's 90% genetics) but about how you carry yourself and your relationship with yourself and your environment. Or maybe I just see beauty differently (entirely possible as my girlfriends seem more often than not surprised at who I do and who I don't find beautiful). So sorry, if I set a stereotypical standard here - that wasn't my intention at all! Apologies!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:00 pm

Your plan for dealing with your visit sounds good. I think the most important part, though, is continuing to give attention to how much better you feel just sticking to what you eat now. In the end, people keep to new regimes that make them feel better and aren't too much trouble overall for that reward.

I know I used to think it was too much trouble to make my bed. (I know, a grown woman. True confessions.) When I started doing it, I made sure to stop and enjoy the look of my bedroom with it done often. Now it's just what I do, but I still enjoy the look. If only eating habits were as easy! Or dishes. The bed is fast and just once a day!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 9:56 am

Oh, no problem, eschano. I know what you mean. I think it's often about personal style after a certain age, that makes a lady attractive. Sometimes in a room full of older ladies, it's really hard to guess who was really beautiful in her 20's!

Thanks oolala- what you said:

oolala53 wrote:I think the most important part, though, is continuing to give attention to how much better you feel just sticking to what you eat now. In the end, people keep to new regimes that make them feel better and aren't too much trouble overall for that reward.

gives me food for thought. There is much about the way I eat now that is not possible when I am traveling. The thing I CAN stick to is No Added Sugar. Where I live now, I have access to lots of inexpensive beautiful produce, tropical fruit, etc., and I can whip up a pot of beans and rice or soup, no problem. (I also have a good, hilly place to walk for exercise here.)
When I travel to the US, good quality produce is much more expensive, and I will have very limited access to a kitchen (staying with relatives). What IS cheap, plentiful and easy there, is the dollar menu of any number of fast food places, access to carry-out pizza, which everyone seems to appreciate, junky snack foods, etc. In that town there isn't even a good supermarket with a salad bar. What I need is ANOTHER "new regime that makes me feel better and isn't too much trouble overall for that reward"! I think I kind of have that here, but not there. So.... I will need to put time into grocery shopping, trying to chop fresh fruit/veg with a limited kitchen, perhaps be willing to eat low fat dairy products, stay away from the drive-thrus and snack section of stores, etc. It is more effort, but there is an indoor pool I can pay per use. It is just a different set-up entirely, and my habit for visits has involved a lot of fast and junk food. That needs to change.
I'm still NoS, here, with No Added Sugar, and it's going well. I have a cold as of yesterday, and possibly a UTI, I'm not sure. I'm kind of laying low. I went out for lunch a few days ago with a good friend who is also trying to get off of sugar, as her fasting blood sugar (which she tests randomly) was in the 160's the other morning. Before now, she has been bemoaning the fact that it's so hard to get off sugar, but watching another friend and me do it, she is kind of running out of excuses. I was impressed by her resolve- she gave a stash of sweets from her freezer away to a (young, skinny) mutual friend of ours, so I think she's serious! We split a calzone at a local restaurant, and I left feeling pleasantly full, but not overstuffed.

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 1:08 pm

Sonya, the limited kitchen thing is really hard. I really count on being able to prepare my meals when I travel. In terms of no-s:

limiting sugar is definitely possible (no sweets means no sweets the world over

No added sugar is a lot harder and really only possible if you are doing the shopping. Probably not practical in your situation. Unless . . . You can enlist the help of the food shopper. Something to think about. Will you have allies here?

Limiting to one plate is possible although you may have to rely on virtual plates which means you are going to have to be super honest with yourself about when to stop eating. Are you able to trust you body to tell you when you are full? If yes, that is a huge benefit. When you feel full, either stop eating or only take or two more bites. If you can't trust your body you can use your napkin as a plate in a pinch. Depending on the size off the napkin, unfold it to make a reasonable size plate (again honesty is key) put only enough food in it as fits and that's your plate. The other reasonable option is to buy paper plates and keep them with you to use when you need a plate. I know that sounds weird but I'll bet money that the first time or two you do it your family will joke and comment but you can just tell them you've become obsessive about eating off of a plate and by the 2nd Day they will have accepted it as part of who you are.

No snacking is also completely doable. Just be prepared to fiddle with endless cups of tea or coffee (or carry around your on bottle of flavored seltzer water)

Now: fruits and vegetables. 1st let me say, I am so, so jealous. Cheap produce is my idea of heaven. Sadly, I come from the land of expensive low quality produce so I hear your (anticipated) pain. Some ideas:
1) Preplan. Think now before you leave home. What meals will you be eating in the house. Breakfast? Perfect for bananas. Probably the cheapest fruit you will find in the US as well as filling and nutritious. Lunch? Where will you be? At the house? Think cut up carrots, cherry tomatoes, maybe make a quick cucumber salad (you can substitute zucchini for cucumber for some variety) fast food lunch? Look for the one item that has vegetables included. It won't be much and it won't be quality but it will be there. Dinner, anticipate pizza with the fam? Make a side salad to go with. Dinner out? Skip the appetizer. I promise you'll have plenty without it. Substitute a side veg. for your fries. Must have fries? See if someone is willing to share. I find that in almost any group there is someone.

2) Evaluate and tweak daily.

3) Plan for the next day and

4)enjoy it no matter how it goes

Sorry so long and preachy but I know from experience that no-s while on vacation is doable but planning from the very beginning is the most important step.

Have a great trip

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:53 pm

So sorry you're not feeling well.

Vacations are tricky especially when you're visiting someone else which gives one the feeling of a bit less control. I think at least sticking to three plates will assure you don't go too overboard and then anything you can do to improve the quality of food on those plates will be an extra bonus. Jumping jacks & sit ups in your room can always be done too if nothing else or so I hear at least. I'm not one to be quite that motivated to workout. â˜ºï¸

Anyway good luck. I did lose 3.5 lbs on my last vacation but now at home struggling to lose more so who knows. Anything is possible!

Linda

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:53 am

Hi gingerpie,
Thanks so much for stopping by with moral support and so many practical ideas! I really appreciate it. It all helps me in thinking through how to plan and to pinpoint my particular problems.
I think I should be sort of OK on the no added sugar part, in that I can buy my own salad dressing, bread, yogurt, etc. and extras like dill pickles and salsa, and check the labels. I just have to be aware that someone else might use up what I bought and I might need to keep replacing whatever is my preference! I suppose there will be some odd dishes where someone adds sugar to what should have been a savory dish, but that shouldn't come up too often. (Thank heavens it's not around the holidays! Then the house is extra crowded and bizarre stuff gets made!)
There are 2 issues with the fast food that I guess I need to come to terms with. One is that I really enjoy getting away from the house and sitting in my car or by a window and eating some fast food thing all by myself. (This can easily enter into emotional eating territory.) Theoretically I could take a salad in a tupperware and sit in my car for the getting away from everybody for a bit part, but in the summer that can be a bit too hot for enjoyment!
The second thing is that fast food and pizza don't fill me up very fast and do set me up for cravings. For example today for lunch, I had a plate of green beans and mushroom in an olive oil/balsamic vinegar sauce, broad beans w/spices and mashed pumpkin. One plate totally filled me up, and I wasn't even all that hungry by supper time. In contrast, I can easily eat 6-8 slices of pepperoni pizza, and feel full at the time, but then "starving" by supper time. I can "get by" with 4 slices and a salad, but I rarely exercise that kind of "control". I can eat 2 small fast food sandwiches and a small order of fries and still feel like chewing the wallpaper off the walls. So maybe that's a big part of what I have to plan for... to find a way to be eating high volume, less addictive foods, just because I know how I'm wired. It will be challenging, but hopefully not impossible!
Thanks for stopping by with encouragement, Linda! I really like your idea of at least sticking to three plates to assure I don't go too overboard, and then anything I can do to improve the quality of food on those plates will be an extra bonus. That's a good point of view/attitude!
My treats for the S days this weekend were making up a batch of yummy savory muffins and just eating muffins for supper on Saturday. Then a nice lunch at a sit-down burger place with a friend on Sunday. Actually both "treats" did not amount to more than a plate of food per meal, so I guess I pulled a "sometimes", but it was all very satisfying!

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:52 pm

Hi Sonya, I just read this as I'm looking into Ella Woodward's recipes and thought you might be interested: http://deliciouslyella.com/advice-how-t ... ou-travel/

I do think it's extreme but works for her and I wonder if something like it might work for you? My next US visit will be to Berkeley and San Francisco so I'll be in healthy eating heaven.

For sitting in the car with some alone time: maybe you can get a take-away cup of a hot milky beverage and sit in the car and drink it? What you describe with fast food I have with chai latte or just plain tea with milk: I just love sipping it alone. In fact, I make a point of getting alone time every day - my husband agrees I'm a much nicer person when I had my 20min sipping some tea, hehe.

Also, I totally agree about personal style. I love people who have something different about them and go with it - I'm totally fascinated with them. Funnily, most of them don't even know they have a personal style but you could pick things that are "so them".

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 5:43 pm

Hi Sonya,

I love the idea of getting a drink instead of a meal for your alone time but if you are really attached to your meals, I'm thinking you can make it work. In the past, is there a particular time of day that you normally go for your fast food treat? Can you incorporate the fast food into your daily meal schedule? For some reason, I'm imaging you like to go in the afternoon so maybe you can use it as a planned lunch. Or, if you are okay with the Tupperware idea, maybe you can go to a park to eat your homemade get-away snack under a tree instead of inside. If it's really hot though that might not be a nice option. It sounds like you really like to use the time to take care of yourself. Is it possible to find another way to do that?

It isn't surprising that fast food/pizza doesn't fill you up. They are sort of famous for tricking us into eating more than is good for us. I struggle with that as well when we occasionally get something. The only thing that works for me is to pile the side vegetables onto the pizza and eat a sort of "salad pizza". I swear it works for me

As for fast food burgers and such, I've never found a workable solution other than to stop eating them.

Good luck and remember . . . enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. It is your holiday after all.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 11:55 pm

Sorry I'm a little behind but wanted to say great job on your S days. I always feel great when my weekend goes well!!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 6:11 am

All is well here.
Thanks for your comments gingerpie! You're helping me think through things, and I really appreciate it. I'm not sure how conscious I was of the fast food connection to self-care. It is not a very stable household I live with when visiting the US, and I really have to build some margin into my days, and eating fast food probably isn't the best coping strategy. I used to go the the local library to spend some time on the internet, but now the house has wifi, and I don't bother. Maybe planning to go to the library and drop by the YMCA for a swim on some days would be a really good plan.
Also, if I'm serious about continuing to try No Added Sugar, fast food hamburger buns and pizza crusts are probably out, as I'm pretty sure they add sugar wherever possible to accommodate people's tastebuds. Your "salad pizza" idea is an interesting one! I might have to think of what sounds good for that... maybe some arugula, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil-?
Thanks for the link, eschano! Yeah, her way of coping is kind of extreme, but she does have some good ideas!
Thanks for stopping by, Linda. I always appreciate your encouragement.
So far the weekend is tame. Another batch of healthy breakfast muffins, a little soggy in the middle, I think I need to add less liquid and make them smaller when I use grated zucchini as the veg in them!
I have a wedding to attend this afternoon... a friend who is in his 70's and lost his wife 3 years ago is getting married again and I couldn't be happier for him. I imagine the reception will be coffee/tea and finger foods, but I'm prepared to just avoid the sweets and enjoy the party!
I'm getting low on peanuts. I think I want to give the 2oz peanuts w/every meal thing a rest for a while. I just want to sort of break the habit, so am thinking of just not buying any for the next 2 weeks. That shouldn't kill me. I think the main thing I need is some crunch at the end of a meal, so will try to make up a bunch of carrot sticks... and maybe buy some avocados to make up the healthy fats. We'll see.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 6:32 pm

Today was an illustration of things very predictably going from bad to worse. I had to get up extra early this morning, and that left me craving a breakfast with some heavier starch. The starchy breakfast led to me getting very drowsy. Being full and sleepy led me to push lunch until after a stressful work meeting at 1:30. Lunch went OK, but my system was kind of thrown off. That led to a too light supper, followed by 2 thin slices of chocolate bunt cake (I mean what on earth?!) and I followed that up with a small bag of potato chips. It was all so disordered and unsatisfying. I think next Tuesday, when I also have an early morning, I need to make sure there is some black coffee and a reasonable breakfast planned. That might keep the cycle from getting going.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 6:49 pm

It is hard to distinguish cravings from needs. I myself have gotten to the point at which I have sweets around only on weekends and only for specific events. I can justify it because I live alone in a very small place, so space in fridge and cupboards is at a premium. I don't like thinking I can't have it around, but I also know people in slim cultures don't keep sweets around. It is the exception in the world to have access to food and not overeat.

You'll do better next week. And we'll both get better at riding the wave when necessary.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:55 am

Hi oolala,
Yeah, I do keep sweets entirely out of the house, lately. The triple zinger of Tuesdays is: it's the only day of the week when I have a really early morning meeting (giving me a mental/tiredness and blood sugar level disadvantage), it's the only day of the week with an evening event where a snack (often sweet) is provided, and the venue of that meeting is near a supermarket that sells my favorite potato chips.
It really calls for vigilance! Any other day of the week I can be strong against the free sweets around or passing by the chips in the super market.
The cravings so lie! It's like:
Craving: "I have a good idea, Sonya, eat (whatever unhealthy thing, not at meal time)."
Me: "That IS a good idea..."

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:26 am

Did you try having an S day on Tuesday instead of Sat or Sun? Maybe that would be less stressful.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:51 pm

I'd be wary of changing S days, but I know people have done it. I'd be afraid it would have me eating more S's than I really need.

So can you not have the favorite chips at home to have a portion of at meals?

Oh, that conversation is so true. Even though I have proven so many times that it's an even better idea NOT to follow through on the whim.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 5:35 pm

Thanks, eschano. I kind of tried that before, but I never got it down to saying "My S days are Tuesdays and Sundays" or the like. Instead I tried to see if I had a wedding or a special lunch on one of the weekend days, and then add the Tuesday as the other one, but some weekends were especially busy, and I couldn't choose, and then Monday was the only day in between the S days, so I would often fail, yada, yada, yada. I do think it could work in theory, but somehow for me I think it's better to shore up the system, and be very alert to keeping the Tuesdays green.
Hi oolala- These chips are sort of my Waterloo. I have yet to do anything with them but consume the entire bag as soon as I walk in the house. Every Single Time. They are kind of a "red day treat" because on an actual S day, when faced with getting to the store and buying a bag of them, I realize there are other things I'm much rather have, that are less greasy and salty and have more genuine flavor. They're just kind of wonderful as an escape from the constraints of moderation, and really only have value as a guilty pleasure. So screwy!
Yeah, maybe I can rewrite the script to:
Craving: "I have a good idea, Sonya, eat (whatever unhealthy thing, not at meal time)."
Me: "I've got an Even Better Idea, how about not?..."

Today was better. Technically red because I snagged a couple of fork-fulls of rice noodles while I was cooking, but I still consider it a good moderate eating day none the less.

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 9:38 am

Lol Sonya, I know this conversation but usually in reverse

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 1:24 pm

Well, here we are again. Today was going along OK, but then I had seconds of the starch at dinner. Not sure what got into me. My weight loss seems to have stalled, and my clothes are not getting progressively looser as they have been for the past few weeks. My appetite is raging, and cravings are running amuk. I guess it's just one of those stages. I don't question it when I am perfectly satisfied with 3 plates of high fiber, fairly low fat food, so I think I shouldn't question this either.
The only thing that might be to blame is that I've been eating more potato products than usual, also rice noodles, which are largely starch without fiber. I trust this too shall pass.

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 3:12 pm

I get "plateaus" where I eat or need more for a few months and NOTHING is happening and suddenly - boom - back down again. Just go with it.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:47 pm

I gently suggest you consider adding a tad more fat at meals. It might help make up for what your body may feel it's missing from added sugars, if they were rather important.

Then again, your idea that it's a phase is good, too. Those neural patterns seem to have a mind of their own! When conditions are exactly right, there's not much trouble, but it's too "expensive" to have to have the perfect conditions. Prefrontal cortex to the rescue!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:29 pm

Hi oolala,
Having never really learned the parts of the brain all that well, your post made me hit Google to learn more about what the prefrontal cortex does. On the wisegeek website, I got to the part where it says: "It acts as a voice of reason, guiding human beings to make rational decisions over impulsive ones." I thought, "Hey! I'm gonna have to go get me one of those!"

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 11:38 am

Today is an S day- Yay!
I was going to buy a bag of potato chips yesterday and see if I just might be able to save them for today. But as I wandered around the grocery store, I noticed that for the same price I could buy 2# of potatoes(!), and with a little prep and some olive oil, I could have a LOT of the world's best oven fries. So it's still true that I can find lots of real S-day treats that are better than those "red day" chips. Plenty of seconds for me.

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 9:11 am

Yum Sonya, that sounds so lovely!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:08 am

Thanks, eschano.
Yesterday I took a "capital S" day, as it was a family lunch party for a high school graduate I have known since she was 4years old. I'm so proud of her, she's growing up into a lovely and thoughtful young lady. There was plenty of food, red wine and cake. I probably kind of overdid it, but that's really OK. I did feel the effects of eating the cake, feeling more sensitive to that since being off of sugar lately, but actually with the wine, it was hard to tell what was making me feel a bit tired. Well, tired but mellow.
Today, I'm back on the wagon, and feel sort of like a bottomless pit. At lunch I ate a very full plate of veg biryani, green beans, 1/2 ea grapefruit/avocado and 1 tomato w/dressing. I'm still sorta hungry. I'd love to be able to eat to capacity, with this great appetite, but I no longer have the great metabolism to go with it!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 5:09 pm

Glad you're taking it the overdo in stride. That's what S days are for sometimes--a reminder of why we don't really want to go back to our old ways of eating.

Sorry you're having a lot of hunger! I feel like my body has really adjusted to eating less and I just get fuller much quicker.

Hope you have a great week!!

Linda

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 5:12 pm

Thanks for stopping by, Linda.
Well, I took today (Saturday) as an S day. I will treat tomorrow as an N day and make my switch to Tues/Wed S days until August 8th or so. This is the best mod I can think of for my time in the US. (Such things as "Taco Tuesdays" and "Wild West Wednesdays" are often my undoing when I try to go vanilla NoS there.) I should be able to find plenty of one dish savory meals to enjoy on the weekends.
I plan to allow diet soft drinks on N days, but otherwise want to stay on the straight and narrow. Will try to keep added sugar to a minimum, but won't over burden myself with it. Out of the many, many trips to the US I've made in recent years, there was only one on which I didn't gain weight. I would love for that to be the case this time!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:27 pm

Well, I'm hanging in here, sort of.
It worked well to have Tues/Wed as S days so far.
I've had 4 red days this week, but mostly fairly small things. I've had a couple of 3 oz candy bars, a seconds of a hot cooked breakfast (mostly to make the cook happy), and some extra chips and salsa with a Mexican meal. A little bit of virtual plating. But really, for a splash back into the US, it's all a lot better than the usual. I haven' t purchased any candy or snack foods at the supermarket, and that is HUGE. I've had limited fast food this week- 1 cheeseburger, 2 chicken sandwiches, 2 orders of fries and 3 hot dogs, pretty spread out over the week. My diet isn't anything exemplary, or anything but not all that bad and not ridiculous portions, so I'm pretty much encouraged.
I'll try to make the most of my Tues/Wed S days this week and really try to have GREEN N days after that.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 1:35 pm

Well, I'm hanging on by a thread, here. I did take Tu/Wed as S days again this week, but am considering switching back to normal weekend S days. Not sure yet.
On S day Tuesday, I had a small amount of candy and I made a big pot of cheese grits in the evening and ate as much as I wanted, which was somehow a real treat! Wednesday, I didn't have any S's and then Thursday was red, as I had too loose virtual plating to call it green. I was proud of myself for not eating after supper, though, or buying on sale ice cream at the supermarket. Just bought my mustard and walked right out! Amazing how tempting that was.
I wish I was doing no added sugar again, but I haven't told people who are hosting me about that in advance, so will probably succumb to treats offered on S days. It's sooooo much easier to skip it all when I'm back being an expat in Africa.
I've put on a couple of pounds, but it's hard to tell really, as the scales seem to be quite different here. I guess I feel like I may be a little bit heavier, so it's probably accurate. It's unbelievable how easy it is to gain weight so quickly, and it takes so much time and effort to lose it! I hope that will provide some motivation to eat lighter plates as I travel to visit family this weekend and friends next week.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:57 pm

Sorry you're having a hard time on your vacation! Just so you know, not all Americans eat badly. We almost never eat fast food but when we do it's something healthy like chipotle. Hope you're enjoying yourself otherwise though.

Linda

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:41 am

I'm sure you'll lose it again more quickly than you think once you're back to your normal routine.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 1:45 am

Thanks, Linda and eschano.
I'm still here... still overeating but not by a lot. Not really following the NoS rules, but keeping sugar to a minimum on all days.
I'm starting to look forward to getting back to my normal routine, on August 19th, though I will be sorry to leave the friends and family that I have been visiting.
On the bright side: though I have gained the weight I had lost recently on NoS, at least I am not back up to my last restart weight, and it doesn't look like I will be. This is good news, as most restarts start at a higher weight than the one before. I'm really happy to reverse that trend!
It looks like I will be able to wear the same jeans on the plane back as I did on the one coming over... that's not to be taken for granted!
I'm pretty sure I can slide back into my NoS routine when I get back to my normal environment. I'm thinking of ways I can apply some of what I've learned next time I am traveling... for example, I can quite happily celebrate S days with the "Sometimes" exception, by concentrating on making a really nice meal, or really enjoying a meal at a nice restaurant. I could maybe benefit from that by saving my diet sodas for S days, and having my favorite blue corn chips and salsa only on S days. I know I can have those things on N days (the way I read the rules), but it is a way of keeping over the top indulgences at bay, as whenever I do have a snack or seconds, it seems like a really huge deal, rather than an entitlement.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 11:47 pm

Really trying to think in terms of habit rather than weight.
Today I stuck to 3 meals:
B: coffee w/evaporated milk, cheerios with almond milk, berries, cherries
L: 1 veggie and bean tortilla wrap, 1 chicken and cheese tortilla wrap
S: large plate of pepperoni/mushroom/olive pizza
A few diet drinks throughout the day.
I think I would feel better eating a bit lighter food- the pizza seemed heavy by itself.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 5:42 am

Focusing on habit right now seems like a great plan and soon you'll be back to your normal environment! Glad to "see" you around & thanks so much for stopping by with much needed encouragement!!

Linda

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:19 am

Thanks, Linda. It's nice that we can be here to support one another in this.
Today, my 3 meals:
B: (same as yesterday)
L: pizza, celery w/fat free cream cheese, watermellon smoothie
S: sirloin steak w/mushrooms, salad w/blue cheese dressing, rolls, butter
I did have an indiscretion of some ice cream before supper. It was one of those social situations where someone has gone to a lot of trouble to make something nice for everybody, and really, I'm not going to stop eating even sweets in such situations any time soon. So, marking it red and moving on.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 5:13 pm

I think it's good to know our limits & be realistic about what we're willing to do. I think you're doing great overall considering your situation.

L

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:02 am

Thanks, Linda. I really appreciate the encouragement. I think what I am willing to do is enough, when I am in my normal environment. Out of it, not so much. But working on habit is always a good thing.
Meals today:
B: baked chicken, rice, kimche, lima beans, (I wanted to do some cooking while the house was still cool from the night)
L: 1 slice pizza, cottage cheese, fruit (cherries/berries/peaches)
S: (virtual plate) hamburger, fries, later: baked potato, mac & cheese, diet soft drink
Trying to use up odds and ends in the fridge before I travel next week. Makes for some odd combinations.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat Aug 15, 2015 12:41 am

Meals today:
B: shrimp/cheese grits, bagel, fat free cream cheese
L: baked chicken, rice, kimche
S: rueben sandwiches
Too heavy food, too full plates. The one plate rule does indeed show excess clearly; it's all there in front of you.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Aug 15, 2015 3:33 pm

Just keep working on being as honest as you can be about how much food is enough. It can be hard to face how little it takes, but there is a sacrifice either way. And perhaps another year of even more solid habits at home will make it easier to carry your environment with you- in your head. Believe me, I get it! EVERY person in America who bucks the overeating system is having to create his or her own culture of moderation every time s/he leaves the house! It's a shame, but I sometimes believe we are living some previous starving culture's dream come true. They just didn't understand the repercussions...

But no matter what, if you DO eat "it," enjoy every bite!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat Aug 15, 2015 5:54 pm

oolala53 wrote:I sometimes believe we are living some previous starving culture's dream come true.

Hi oolala- I think being in the US, eating all this yummy food is my dream come true... I just need to be dreaming more about fresh produce and doing what I can to keep my metabolism up (as much as is within my power).

I've migrated back to weekend S days. Today I had a very large supper.
B: 2 mushroom/cheese tortilla wraps
L: french fries, salad, cottage cheese
S: burgers, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuit
I did have tomato and lettuce on my burgers, salad and a few mushrooms, but other than that, it looks like potatoes were a big player in the vegetable department.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Mon Aug 17, 2015 3:02 am

I actually didn't overdo it today. I could have used lighter food, but my portions sizes were OK, in fact this is technically a "sometimes", as I ate my 3 plates of savory food on an S day and stopped there. It was all yummy.

B: coffee w/milk, bagel w/cream cheese
L: @AR: chicken w/cranberry stuffing, mashed potatoes w/gravy, brussels sprouts
S: cheese & shrimp nachos, maccaroni & Cheese, 1 1/2 small cheese biscuits

I should be OK tomorrow, and Tuesday will be an NWS day, as I will be traveling back, long flights, etc.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Aug 17, 2015 3:41 am

Glad to hear you did okay today. How are you feeling about going back? Is it like having one very long S day and you're looking forward to the sanity of moderate eating? Or are you more focused on missing your friends?

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Aug 17, 2015 6:11 am

Consider the possibility that you could get by with the travel day as a regular N day figuring in three meals over the course of the hours of a regular day with coffee/tea breaks on flights or in airports. It could be an experiment in disrupting the "pattern" that disruptions in routine have to mean disruptions in N day habits. If the trip adds several hours to your day because of changing time zones, you might add ONE very light snack.

Just an idea. I have to admit it's been awhile since I was on a very long trip, but I remember being fed way too often! It's possible things have changed in these leaner times.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:33 am

Thanks for stopping by, Linda. For the most part you hit the nail on the head. It feels like one long S day and I'm so ready for it to be OVER and to get back to the N day sanity. But it is also really hard to leave my mom... she's older and I only get to see her once or twice a year, so that is the main thing that is hard emotionally about leaving. Some of my good friends are getting older, too, and it is just plain hard to leave.
Monday went fine. I ate meals based, virtual plate kind of things, largely trying to finish things off and throw away any leftovers.
Oolala, I hear what you're saying. It's just that these 13+ hour flights only have food and movies for amusement, and I really like the system where I just sit there and they come by and ply me with food and drink! I really enjoy the long flights and having an extra snack or the sweet on the tray is part of that. There are long hungry stretches in airports, too, so the whole eating thing is so disordered, I have come to just take it as it comes and enjoy all there is to enjoy! In general, flying is its own thing and I don't think it will effect habit once I get back. We shall see!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 4:22 pm

Travel went well, and the only NWS treats I had were a snack of fruit and candy, and a 2 inch square of "carrot cake" on the lunch tray. Now I'm back to no added sugar, for the next 4 months. (I may break from that over Christmas.)
Today I haven't been very hungry (jet lag makes me hungry at odd times, and not at meal times). Lunch and supper were social and I didn't eat anything sweet. Yay!
B: coffee w/creamer, 1/3c cashews, 5 dates
L: coffee @Astrid's: 2 samosas, 3 spring rolls, peanuts, coffee w/milk
S: Andrea's: Thai inspired fish curry, bean sprouts, rice
It's good to be away from "the land of plenty" in some ways.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat Aug 22, 2015 6:27 am

Well, Friday was red, as I overate at a friend's house (too yummy quiche!).
I don't have anything wild lined up for my S days, so will take it easy. Looking forward to a green week next week!

RAWCOOKIE · Post by **RAWCOOKIE** » Sat Aug 22, 2015 11:16 am

Tell me more about the quiche? Was it a RED because you had Seconds? or did you eat it as a Snack? If you ate it (however much) as part of your meal - then it wasn't a fail. Did you have more than a plateful? (I could get a whole quiche on a plate

)

I'm trying to see if I can get rid of that FAIL feeling for you - you might not need it!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sat Aug 22, 2015 12:09 pm

Thanks for looking out for me RAWCOOKIE, but I'm afraid it was a fail. I had a full plate of: 2 squares yummy quiche, 1 whole boiled potato, and some tomato-cucumber salad... then did it all again, followed by 1 more square of quiche at my friend's husband's suggestion that "if we each eat one more piece, she can wash the pan". He's a pretty famous eater, and I can usually go head to head with him when called upon. It's better to eat over there on the weekend.
I found a good S day treat today... went to the Chinese market in town (bok choi, snow peas- things unheard of around here just a few years ago). There is a burgeoning number of Chinese expats here on government contracts, so there have sprung up some small restaurants around the market. The problem is the menus are in Chinese with photos and then there is a nominal English menu on the side with lame things things like "beef & broccoli". I accosted a Chinese man in the market and asked him which restaurant was the best. He sent me over to a noodle place around the corner, where I ordered a spicy pork noodle bowl of fairly monstrous proportions. It was so good and I enjoyed/polished off the whole thing.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Aug 22, 2015 3:49 pm

I've already had breakfast on this S day, but now spicy pork noodle sounds pretty great.

I find that sometimes eating a small amount can make me feel stuffed and other times a large amount of even dense food feels like almost nothing. It's just not predictable anymore.

Your friend's husband sounds a bit dangerous to be around, if the habits are not rock solid. And it can take several sessions with someone like that of not eating like you used to to have them get that you're not going to eat like you used to. I've pulled it off with a few people, and I never used dieting as an excuse.

Here's to a moderate S day for both of us.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 5:06 pm

Yes, oolala, it is a bit dangerous eating with him! How did you overcome, just explain to people that your capacity is not what it used to be?

No S day treats per se, but I thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful of food today!
B: instant decaf coffee w/creamer, reg black coffee @IEC, cashew pieces
L: lentils/rice, snow peas, bok choy, pistachios (a nice vegan meal!)
S: a very large apple, peanut butter (this was really good too!)

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 6:37 pm

I would say something like, Oh, my gosh, I'm so full! I wish I wanted more, but it just doesn't sound good.

Or, it would be wasted on me at this point.

Or, Maybe I'll have it later.

If threatened with its not being there later, say so be it.

And stall. Keep changing the subject! Sometimes, I would even plan on a few topics to talk about before I got together with the person. It's very fake, but worked better than the old declarations of dieting or swearing off this or that, etc. Good ol' social white lies!

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 4:23 pm

Sounds good Oolala. There's no arguing with those things.

I'm still jet lagged, wanting to stay up late and sleep in later. My appetite hasn't returned yet, but I am enjoying the flavor of my food immensely. Mostly skipping breakfast, having a snack for supper, but disciplining myself to eat a plate of healthy cooked food at lunch whether I'm particularly hungry or not.
B: instant decaf coffee w/creamer, reg coffee w/creamer @S's
L: lentils/rice, onion/zucchini, bean sprouts, Thai spiced cashews, pistachios, few dates
S: open faced tuna on pumpernickel, decaf coffee w/vanilla creamer

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Tue Aug 25, 2015 5:21 pm

Since I'm only having 2 meals today, the plates were large, but I'm OK with that.
Brunch: decaf coffee w/creamer, spiced lentils/rice, cashews, peanuts, 1/2 grapefruit
Lupper: @Sami's: 1 small mushroom pizza, mineral water (It fit on a plate, a LARGE plate)

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 5:28 pm

B: decaf coffee w/creamer, open faced tuna salad on pumpernickel
L: lentils/rice, snow peas, bok choy, onion, sprouts (I really like this combination!)
S: 2 land-o-lakes cocoa packets, bowl potato chips
I'll count today red because of the cocoa packets, which resurfaced from somewhere. I don't know how I am still finding sweets coming up for air, when I haven't bought and brought home a single one in the past 4 months! At some point this has to stop, right??

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:27 pm

This week is not turning out to be as green as I'd hoped.
I went to a different nationality's friend's house for coffee, and she had prepared some small squares of cake and a mini cheesecake for me. They weren't to my taste at all, but I didn't see how I could refuse, as she had really made a big effort to have me over. This type of politeness red will happen from time to time, I think it's kind of inevitable. I keep thinking I've told everyone that I'm avoiding sweets, but another person always crops up. But we had a nice time chatting, and I will take it in stride. Maybe when I have her over for coffee, I can serve something savory and tell her I'm trying to avoid sweets.
Then at supper, I had a second small helping of Cuban beans and rice (which turned out very well, if I do say so myself!) Not much damage calorie-wise, but not on habit.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 4:25 pm

B: Iced coffee w/whole milk
L: "Cuban" red beans and rice, peanuts, 5 dates
S: fried mozzarella sticks, french fries, tomato/cucumber salad
Not the most virtuous eating day, but green.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 5:09 am

Glad you got a green day in today. I'm sure it'll take a little adjusting but I know you'll get back on track. I hate those tricky social situations. I think it's fine to decline when there's other ppl that will partake but when you're the only one that's hard.

Have a great weekend!

Linda