Clarinetgal's check in!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 7:21 am

Thanks, Linda! I'm now down to 2 more days, and I'll be SO glad to be done! I've actually been cheating with the coffee, and I'm doing sort of okay. I have a 12 oz cup of coffee in the morning, and it doesn't seem to bother me too much, so I'll stick with it.

I'll probably mostly have tea in the afternoons and evenings, except for on band days, when I need the extra boost from the coffee.

Well, I ended up going on sort of a bender this past week with Easter chocolate, and I ended up really regretting it.

I was just tired of all of the restrictions, and I rebelled. I have figured out that milk chocolate definitely hurts my stomach. I do fine with dark chocolate, but either the milk fat, the lactose, or something else related to milk in milk chocolate really bothers me.

I begged my DH to hide the rest of the Easter chocolate, and I'll stick with dark chocolate, or other safe chocolate treats. For example, I found a recipe for a 1 minute brownie, that was low in FODMAPS, tasted really good, and it didn't bother my stomach.

Aside from the chocolate, I'm doing okay with my diet. I'm still really struggling to come up with low fat meals. I think because I've become so used to eating higher fat all of these years. I bought a couple of books to help me come up with ideas, and I'll be seeing the dietitian on Wednesday, so I'm hoping she can give me some more guidance.
Once Low FODMAPS is done, I want to return to more structure in my eating. I'm guessing I'm going to have to eat at least 4 times a day. Everything I've read about IBS (which I presume I have) says to eat smaller, more frequent meals. The literature suggests 5-6 meals a day, but there is no way I can do that while taking care of my boys. 4 slightly smaller meals should be better, I think. I'll see what the dietitian suggests.
That's all for now. I feel like I'm in limbo until Monday, when the diet officially ends. For the time being, I'll be cautious in reintroducing new foods, since I don't want to throw my stomach into turmoil. I'll definitely limit garlic, onions, and beans (since I reacted so badly to them), dairy, and I'm not sure about wheat. I'll also keep working on eating lower fat.

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 1:51 pm

Yay for two more days! So glad you're able to tolerate at least some coffee. You can just consider your chocolate binge all part of the experiment. Now you know to stay away from milk chocolate and dark chocolates better for your heart anyway so win-win!

Good luck w the lower fat. I'm still loving the skinnytaste cookbook & blog. It's lower fat but not to the extreme, recipes aren't too complicated and are kid-friendly. I especially love the easy slow-cooker recipes!

Well enjoy your S day and hope you get a little down time.

LindaðŸ˜‰

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 11:47 pm

Thanks, Linda!

I actually have the Skinny Taste cookbook on my Kindle, and I follow her Facebook page, so I'll have to check out the recipes. I hope you have a good weekend, too!

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 12:14 am

That's great! I think you're actually the one that turned me on to it originally and now i can't get enough of her recipes!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 6:59 am

Linda, I'm glad you like it! I'm reading through her cookbook, and I plan to try one of her recipes very soon. I also just bought Bob Harper's Skinny Rules cookbook, and it has a lot of recipes that are lower in fat, and they look like they would taste good.

Well, I am officially done with the low FODMAPS Diet -- sort of. My dietitian recommended continuing to avoid beans, garlic, and onions for now, since I reacted so strongly to them. She also wants me to stay gluten free for now, but I can try reintroducing wheat after a few weeks. She mainly wants me to eat lower fat, so that will be my main focus. So far, when I've tried it, I have not been able to eat just 3 meals. I get very hungry in between meals (a good thing), but if I go too long without eating, I get grumpy. I think I'll try 4 planned meals, for now.

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:42 am

Yay!!!! So glad you're just in the fine tuning stage and can start to implement the good data you've gathered.

I'll have to check out that book--thx!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:33 am

Thanks, Linda!

I will confess, I've gone off the rails on my eating the past few days. I get to have a colonoscopy next Wednesday (oh joy), which means yet another restrictive diet, which starts this Fridday. I'll have to do a low fiber diet for 4 days, then 1 day of clear liquids, and then the procedure.

Once this is done, and assuming they don't find anything, I really want to focus on moderation. I will probably stick to the 4 planned meals a day, and I will continue to work on eating lower fat and trying to avoid foods that aggravate my issues, but that's it. I think, once I can stop focusing so much on what I need to eat, it will be easier to stick with my plan.

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:37 am

Oh dear you poor thing!! I know I'd be doing something similar with all these restrictions too! Going a little wild is to be expected but I know you'll get back on track once you're through this craziness. I'm sure it'll be such a relief to return to some sense of normalcy!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Apr 26, 2015 7:06 am

Linda, Thank you! Yes, I will be very glad to get back to normal! Depending on what the colonoscopy shows (which I'm hoping will be nothing, or at worst, something minor), I'm hoping I can get back to a more normal diet as soon as Wednesday night (depending on how I feel after the colonoscopy).
The ONLY positive from this low fiber diet is that I've lowered my fat intake quite a bit. I'm finally at about the number of fat grams that my dietitian wants me to aim for (53 g a day). Once this diet is done with, I'll replace the low to no fiber carbs I've been eating with fruits and vegetables again. I can't wait!

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 4:10 am

Yay--hoping for the best for you!!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sat May 02, 2015 12:19 am

Well, the colonoscopy is done. Yay! All he found was a small polyp, and he said the worst case scenario is I would have to have another colonoscopy in 5 years, instead of 10. I am SO glad that is done! Now, my goal is just to get back to moderation. I have decided I will stick with limited dairy and limited gluten, since I feel the best when I do that. I will keep eating lower fat, and I will continue to limit garlic, onions, and beans. I will also go back to cutting back on coffee, since the extra coffee is aggravating my reflux.ðŸ˜¥ other than those things, I just want to eat normal food. I'll stick with eating 4 times a day, since that does work better for me. I will also start working on cutting back on sweets again. In my fits of rebellion from all of my restrictive diets the past few months, my sweets eating was getting out of control. I'm doing baby steps on the sweets, since that will be a challenge for me. So far, my eating has been more reasonable.

Breakfast: Udi's blueberry muffin, sausage patty, strawberries with 1 T Enjoy Life chocolate chips, coffee with creamer.
Lunch: Panera You Pick 2. 1/2 chicken salad sandwich, cup of garden vegetable pesto soup, about 1/8 of the slice of bread (I shared the rest with DS), about 1/4 of an M and M cookie. (Sadly, I think I will have to cut out Panera's food. It seems like every time I eat there, no matter what I get, their food aggravates my gut issues. I suspect it's a combo of the seasonings they use, and I think I'm mildly sensitive to gluten -- since I feel better when I don't have gluten).
Afternoon: Coffee with creamer. 4 jelly beans and 3 mini Oreos. (I want to get back to not eating between lunch and dinner).
Dinner: Tilapia burger, Trader Joes fries with tartar sauce, the rest of the tomato from my burger (I love raw tomato), some blueberries.
Evening snack (which I will probably keep, since it works for me): Small bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce, 1/2 a serving of dark chocolate covered mango pieces (DH bought this from Costco. Yum!)
Not the best eating day, but I feel like I'm starting to get back on track.
Thanks, Linda!

Heather

ironchef · Post by **ironchef** » Sat May 02, 2015 6:41 am

Really glad to hear the procedure went well and you can relax and get back to moderation!
Yup, too much coffee definitely upsets my digestion too - but it tastes soooo good...

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sat May 02, 2015 7:49 am

Thanks, Ironchef! Yes, I think coffee would be the hardest thing to give up. I love the ritual of drinking coffee.

Kittson · Post by **Kittson** » Sat May 02, 2015 11:38 am

Good news on the colonoscopy! I'm sure you're happy that's behind you.

I love the ritual of drinking coffee too. There is something about the smell, the sound of it dripping, the warmth.. I love it!

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon May 11, 2015 12:46 pm

Delighted it's all done!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Fri May 15, 2015 7:04 am

Kittson, Yep! That is what I love most about coffee.
Eschano, Thank you!

I'm still here. I tried going back to strict low FODMAPS, because I was having some stomach issues, and it did help my stomach feel better, but I only lasted 3 days. I just can't do really restrictive diets anymore (unless my doctor makes me follow one, at some point). I will still sort of follow low FODMAPS, and I will certainly be mindful of the foods which I know bother me, but I'm not going to be super strict about it anymore.
What I really want is structure: 4 meals, since that works better for me, and no seconds or extra snacks. I have also fallen into the habit of eating at night, so I will, once again, work to break myself of it. My only exceptions will be band days, because I always get hungry after rehearsals and concerts.
That's all, for now! I'll try to check in a little more frequently.

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri May 15, 2015 4:27 pm

Glad to see you around! Sounds like you're really figuring things out and fine-tuning things. I love that you're flexible with what works.

Have a great weekend! ðŸ˜€

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sat May 16, 2015 12:47 am

Thanks, Linda!

I'm at the point where I just want to eat mostly healthy food, and not worry about any particular plan, nutrient ratios, etc... That is what keeps me coming back to No S.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Sat May 16, 2015 3:08 am

I hear ya! I'm looking forward when I'm at my goal and can just focus on eating healthy & not on losing weight.

Sinnie · Post by **Sinnie** » Mon May 18, 2015 2:59 pm

Hey CG, that must have been tough with the restrictions but you are doing great! I saw the conversation about coffee and you sound just like me - I am purely taken by the ritual too.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu May 21, 2015 9:40 pm

Hello! I'm doing okay. I'm trying hard to stick with either 3 or 4 planned meals. Yesterday, I was able to just eat 3 meals, and I did not eat after the kids went to bed. However, this morning, I wasn't able to eat breakfast until after 9 AM, and I was almost at the point of being overly hungry, and grumpy. I'll see how the next couple of days go, and if I still get too hungry and grumpy in the mornings, I'll go back to eating a smaller, planned meal right after the kids go to bed.

Linda and Sinnie, Thanks!

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri May 22, 2015 6:25 am

Hi so glad to see you still hanging there. Sounds like you're doing really great overall.

Have a great weekend!

Linda

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Tue May 26, 2015 11:34 am

Doing well Heather! Experimenting is so crucial even if it means that there is a little bit of disorder at the beginning but how else can we figure out what works for us? And then also, I find different things work for different phases for me.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu May 28, 2015 8:22 am

I had a rough eating weekend over the holiday, which lasted through today (Wednesday), but I'm determined to get back on track tomorrow. I was inspired by Sinnie's check in to go back to basics for me, so to speak, and combine No S and calorie counting. I feel like, for now at least, I need the structure of the No S plan (mainly no snacking and no seconds), but I also need that concept of sticking with a calorie budget. Mainly, I just need structure.
My plan, as I've kind of said before, will be 4 meals, 3 main meals, and a smaller meal at night. I'll be adjusting my calories, depending on how active I am that day, but my range will be around 1600-2000 calories (some days, I'm really active, and others, not as much).
My ultimate goal, once I'm closer to my weight goal, is to ditch the calorie counting for good, and just stick with No S.
Thank you, Linda and Eschano!

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri May 29, 2015 7:03 am

I think that sounds like a very reasonable plan. You can always drop the calorie counting on days when it's just too much but if you're at least sticking to NoS, you know you're not going to crazy.

Let us know how it goes!

Linda

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Fri May 29, 2015 10:16 am

Hi Heather,

I wonder if it would work for you to use s-days in regards to counting calories. I mean, don't count calories on s-days. Perhaps that will help blend the two methods but relies more heavily on the no-s structure. So, when the time comes to drop calorie counting it ( hopefully) will go smoothly.

Best of luck to you.

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon Jun 01, 2015 3:55 pm

Hi Heather- do combine if it helps. Thanks for all your encouragement. I hope this works out for you!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 6:53 am

Thank you, Linda, Ginger, and Eschano!

I'm slowly getting back on track, but I'm still struggling -- although the last two days have gotten better. I think I really do want structure, but my experience on low FODMAPS was so rigid, that I have been rebelling the past few weeks. My eating has started to become more sane, though. I am mostly following the low FODMAPS principles, but I'm not as rigid about the portions. I am trying to come up with some default meals for breakfast and lunch (so rotating between 3 or so ideas for each) to make things easier for myself. Breakfast will rotate between a green smoothie with protein powder and a good fat included, so it makes a meal; a bowl of oatmeal with nuts and/or raisins and a piece of GF toast with nut butter; a bagel with nut butter and some fruit; or eggs, toast, and fruit. I have figured out my stomach doesn't do well with meat first thing in the morning. I'll also occasionally do muffins or pancakes. Lunches will be either a sandwich with a small amount of chips, some fruit, and some carrots; a salad with protein and some sort of carb; or soup and bread. Dinners are more varied, but tend to rotate between meat, starch, and veggies; spaghetti and bread; soup and bread; or a turkey burger with either regular fries or sweet potato fries.
I'm still counting calories, for now, and I play the 3 or 4 meals by ear. Occadionally, I get by with 3 meals, but most of the time, I really do like to eat something at night, since it's my only time to eat completely uninterrupted by anybody. I'm doing pretty well at not snacking in between meals, and very well on no seconds. The sweets is still a work in progress, but I am figuring out that too much sugar makes me cranky, so I will go back to the low FODMAPS approach of limiting my fruit, and only having a small portion of sweets at night.

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:28 am

Hi Heather! Glad to see you still hanging in there and continuing to problem solve! I feel like you've learned so much about what works for you and will get into a good groove soon.

We're all a work in progress though aren't we?

Linda

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Jun 07, 2015 6:33 am

Thanks, Linda! I feel like I'm close to figuring out what works for me, but I'm not quite there yet. I trust I will get there, though, if I keep working at it.

I'm still hanging in there. I've been sick the past few days, so my eating has not been the best. I'm starting to feel better, though, so I worked on getting back on track with my eating. One discovery I made over the past few days was that the really sugary drinks or foods are not good for me, at all. Every time I ate something like that, I think my sugars would crash (or something), and I would get really cranky. I cut way back on sugar today, and I felt a lot better. I wonder if following the low FODMAP diet made me more sensitive to sugar, since I had to restrict it so much. Anyway, I will continue to really reduce my sugar intake (so lower sugar fruits, and really limiting the sweets), to see if that helps.

Linda, I tried a skinny mocha, and it was good!

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:19 pm

Great insight. I'm sure FOODMAPS has something to do with it.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:25 am

Glad you liked the mocha. It's a little labor intensive but worth it. I think I crave the actual chocolate more than the sugar so this has been a great solution for me.

Hope you're feeling all the way better now! (I think I'm coming down w something now--ugh!)

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:57 am

Thank you, Eschano and Linda!

I feel like I'm still in an experimental stage. I've been sort of naughty, and testing out foods that are forbidden in low FODMAPS, and while I have had a little discomfort, it hasn't been too bad. I'm thinking I can maybe limit foods like wheat, garlic, onions, and beans, but I won't have to cut them out entirely anymore. I still need to be careful with foods that aggravate my reflux, like cooked tomatoes, peppermint, citrus, and chocolate.

I also need to keep working on reducing my fat intake. I will definitely continue to limit grains, dairy, and sugar, since that seems to work for me. I'll go back to posting meals soon, since that really does help keep me accountable.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 4:51 am

Glad you're hanging in there. Are you on summer break yet?

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 6:40 am

Thank you, Linda!

Yes, DS had his last day of school on June 12. The break hasn't been too bad, so far. I'm definitely exhausted, though, because when both boys are home, I feel like I run around non-stop! At least it keeps me from snacking too much during the day.

As for eating, I'm still trying to figure out what is going on with me. I have felt kind of off-kilter, ever since I stopped strictly following the low FODMAPS diet. I hated the restrictions the whole time, and I hated the times when I was in social situations and couldn't eat, because of the restrictions. However, I think the strictness of it was really good for me. Plus, I think that fact that I pretty much had to restrict my sugar was also really good for me. I'm still wondering if I can find a balance between some version of low FODMAPS (just not nearly as strict) and a slightly modified version of No S that will work for me. During my week of Summer break, I have figured out a good eating schedule for myself: 10, 2, 6, and 9. I've wanted to do 4 smaller meals for awhile now, so maybe I should just stick to that. The other thing I have figured out is that a green smoothie for either breakfast or lunch will become a staple in my diet, at least for the rest of the Summer. It's quick, easy, healthy, and just filling enough to last me to the next meal. I'm also working on brining my insane sugar consumption back under control. I'm going to ease back gradually, because for me, going cold turkey is a disaster. I had a better day today. Finally, I'm toying with the idea of switching to smaller plates, and ditching the calorie counting. I may keep tracking my food intake for awhile, but I think if eat my 3 main meals on medium sized plates, and my nighttime meal on a saucer, that should control my calories.
Today wasn't a perfect day, but I was definitely more on the right track:

Breakfast: Green smoothie, coffee with almond milk creamer.
Lunch: Costco samples (I mostly stuck with their samples of meat, and I was definitely full, afterwards). I did eat 2 Trader Joes dark chocolate peanut butter cups at home.
Dinner: Hamburger melt on GF hotdog bun, chips, strawberries, carrot sticks, one more TJ peanut butter cup
Nighttime snack: S'mores, and some Skinny Pop popcorn

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:00 pm

I love your lunch! So funny and much smarter than me walking around there wishing I could have a sample. Also love those pb cups! We definitely shop in the same places.

Btw, have you tried to cocoloco smoothie in the skinnytaste cookbook? It's really good. My kids sleep in though during the summer so I haven't wanted to turn on my blender in the morning. It's loud! But I miss my smoothies!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 7:24 am

Linda, Yes, I've noticed we shop in the same places.

No, I haven't tried that smoothie yet! I'll have to find the recipe. I did have a sugar free coffee cake protein smoothie as part of my lunch today, and it was REALLY good!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 6:51 am

Ohh that sounds really good! ðŸ˜

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:55 pm

Thanks for your encouragement Heather! I hope you find the post-Fodmaps groove!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 7:17 am

Linda, The coffee cake protein smoothie recipe came from a blog I follow called Sugar Free Mom. It was good enough that I saved the recipe, and I will definitely make it again.
Thanks, Eschano!

Today was Day 1 of eating my 3 main meals on 8 inch plates, and my nighttime snack on a saucer. It went pretty well! My plates were pretty full, but I ate enough that I was pleasantly full, and not stuffed, so I think I was okay!

I am still counting calories, for now, but if this system works for me, I'm hoping I can feel confident enough to ditch the calorie counting sooner, rather than later.

Breakfast: Smoothie (mixed berries, cashew milk, coconut butter, cinnamon, and protein powder. It was a little heavy on the cinnamon, but other than that, it was good!). I also had a cup of coffee with almond milk creamer.

Lunch: Tuna sandwich, chips, carrot sticks, a kiwi.

Dinner: Brown rice pasta topped with a 'sensitive formula' marinara sauce. I added extra lean ground turkey and mushrooms to the sauce, and I topped it with reduced fat mozzarella cheese. It was pretty good, but I still had reflux from it, so I think I'm just sensitive to cooked tomatoes.

I also had peas, and I created a low FODMAPS garlic bread! I took a slice of Trader Joes GF white bread, toasted it, and I spread it with some Smart Balance butter, and some garlic infused olive oil. It was pretty good!

Evening snack: Small piece of homemade paleo chocolate zucchini bread, small bowl of popcorn, small ramekin of Breyer's lactose free vanilla (which is sadly starting to bother my stomach, so I may have to re-explore ditching dairy for awhile).

Not a perfect day, but I was definitely much more on track.

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 8:48 am

Sounds like a great restart

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 3:52 am

Cool--thanks for the tip! I found the website & looks like some great recipes esp since DH has to keep things low-carb. Sorry you're still having some issues but overall looks like a good day.

Linda

Dandelion · Post by **Dandelion** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:04 pm

On the cooked tomatoes - when I had stomach problems (h-pylori) the doc said cooked tomatoes were one of the worst offenders - and it was certainly true for me. chocolate and dairy weren't much better, but after I got off the meds, I was able to re-add them gradually and now I don't have a problem with them.

I'm behind on the story, but I hope things work out for you, too!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 7:21 am

Thanks, Linda, Eschano, and Dandelion!

I've been doing okay for the past few days. There was one day where I took my boys to a local beach, did not plan my food well, and ended up failing (mainly because I was starving and tired), but the past couple of days have gone better.

Here is what I've had for today. Not perfect, but definitely more on the right track:

Breakfast: Green smoothie with banana, cashew milk, spinach, cacao powder, and cinnamon (I also added some rice protein powder, and some hemp hearts for fat. Pretty good!). Here's my slightly embarrassing fail. My boys said they wanted to try a S'more, so I made one for each of them, and they didn't eat them. Since I hadn't been able to have breakfast yet, I ate the S'mores before having my smoothie. Oh well.

Lunch: Homemade Paleo chocolate zucchini bread, and some strawberries and blueberries with SO Delicious coco whip (which is like Cool Whip, but it tastes much better, and the ingredients are a lot better).

Dinner: Chicken and veggies over brown rice.

Evening snack: A piece of pie and some coffee with creamer at Shari's restaurant after band rehearsal. A group of band members always gathers at Shari's after rehearsals.

Thoughts on the day: Still too much sugar, but I'm making progress. My main challenge for the Summer is I'm so busy, it's hard to find time to eat (except for at night, after my boys go to bed). I need to plan some quicker, healthy lunches. I'm happy with my green smoothies, though, and my dinners tend to normally be fairly healthy. I probably need to phase out the treat at night, but for now, as long as I keep it to a planned amount of sweets, and don't binge at night after having a tiring day (something I've been struggling with for awhile), then I'll consider it progress.

Heather

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 5:20 pm

I'm still here, and plugging away. I have decided, I think, that I will somewhat recommit to No S. I won't do full Vanilla, because I think it works better for me to keep my S days a little more flexible. Plus, I tend to not do that much over the weekends, so I think it might work better to have 'S events' on other days. For example, I have always struggled with eating after band rehearsals on Thursday nights. A group of band members and I always go to Shari's after rehearsals, and I figure I could use Thursday night to get a piece of pie and either some coffee or tea, without guilt. I would also like the freedom to be able to get a brownie or 1 or 2 cookies during Bible study or other social events without guilt, and I would adjust my other meals accordingly.
Anyway, that means for now, I will try eating just 3 plates. For the time being, I'll try to go without sweets, except for on S event days, but if I really crave something, I may allow myself a small portion of sweets on one of my plates.
Also, I'll have to keep playing around with the number of plates (3 or 4). My reflux is back (boo), which is why I'm going to mostly stop eating after dinner. However, I don't know if I'll do better with 3 plates, or 4 (trying to eat more times than that is just too much planning).
Anyway, I will try to check in more often. Here is what I've had so far:

Breakfast: 1 GF waffle with blueberries and SO Delicious coco whip, 1 piece of GF toast with 1 T sunflower seed butter, 3 chicken sausages, small bowl of blueberries, coco whip, and cinnamon.

Lunch: (slight slip) 6 M and Ms (but at least I stopped!), about 1/2 a serving of leftover soup, small salad, kiwi, single serving of corn chips, piece of toasted GF bread with Smart Balance and Garlic Infused Oil. My plate was very full, but it all fit!

Dandelion · Post by **Dandelion** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:58 pm

I hope that works for you. I know allowing things like that works for me - it's forbidding that doesn't work - and I end up eating way more than the one or two cookies!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 11:02 pm

Thanks, Dandelion! Same here. If I'm allowed to have something, I tend to eat less of it than if I forbid myself from having it.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 5:24 am

I definitely think having an S day on band days is a good idea. Keep plugging away you'll find a good groove!

Linda

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 8:39 am

Thanks, Linda! I have a feeling that is what I'll end up doing.
I am back. and I'm still trying to figure out my eating. One realization I have come to is that the night time eating has to go. I will keep my Thursday night eating after band as my S day treat, and I will probably eat something on Monday night, because I exercise on Monday nights (I'm able to do it during the day on Wednesday and Friday), but otherwise, I'm just going to have to not eat after dinner. It is turning into too much of a free for all to eat junk, and I know that isn't good for me.
My other frustration I keep running into is that my gut health is still really inconsistent.

I went on a great trip for the past couple of days to my band's annual convention, and my gut has been off ever since. I think I'm going to have to stick with some form of the low FODMAPS plan for at least the majority of the time, and I will definitely be making an appointment with my GI doc, once school starts for my boys.
In the meantime, I will try out sticking with 3 plates, except for on my 2 designated night time eating days (Monday and Thursday). At this point, I won't be super strict about what is on my 3 plates, but what I eat has to fit on the plates. Since I do tend to eat healthy the majority of the time, I'm not too worried about what will be on my plates. If I get hungry in between meals, I'll try having tea or coffee with cashew milk or almond milk creamer.
I'm hoping that by going back to a more No S way of eating, I can finally ditch calorie counting.

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 3:54 am

Lotsa good insights but must be frustrating not to have any definitive answers to your health issues. I know I get heartburn if I eat too close to bedtime so that's another good reason to give that up.

Good luck!

Linda

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:15 pm

Night time eating is a hard one for me too but we both know we can do it

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 11:41 pm

Thank you, Linda and Eschano! Yes, the night time eating is a hard habit to break, but I do think I finally need to do it. I will have my planned treat after band tonight, but I will start tomorrow with the no nighttime eating, except for on Mondays and Thursdays.
On the positive side, I haven't binged at night for several days now, so that is a big accomplishment.
My gut is still being frustrating, so I'm thinking I may have to go back on at least a modified version of the low FODMAPS diet. I will probably go ahead and call my GI doctor, to see if there is anything else I can do.
Finally, I'm starting to get disenchanted with smoothies. I have been trying to use them as a meal replacement, but so far, the only protein powder I have found that works for my gut issues is rice protein powder, and it is SO gritty.

I may do smoothies without protein powder from time to time, and supplement with a piece of toast with some sunflower seed butter, but I don't think I'll do too much protein powder, anymore.
That's it for now. This check in for today is very random, but this is what I'm going through right now. Honestly, I'm feeling a sense of battle fatigue with my eating. I'm tired of working around my gut issues, tired of worrying about if I'll ever lose this weight, tired of planning meals all of the time, and tired of dealing with night time eating.
That is why I keep coming back to No S. If I conquer this night time eating, and if I can stick to 3-4 plates of food (depending on my reflux) with no snacks or seconds, I would be okay. Maybe I'll just start there, for now. The sweets are still an issue, but if I can go back to planned meals, and more moderate-sized plates, it will be a good start.

Heather

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:31 am

No binging is pretty brilliant Heather!

I am also rediscover that it is all about planned meals and I feel for you as it's much easier to make it delicious meals if there are no extra issues. However, I am sure you will find the right kind of food for you!

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 11:42 am

Hi Heather, I don't have any great ideas . . . Just piping in with some support. Just keep at it making one little changeÂ at a timeÂ and you'll get there in the end. I'm sure of it.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 5:43 pm

Thank you. Eschano and Ginger!

Things are starting to get better, in terms of eating. I have caught a stupid summer cold, and on Saturday, I was so congested, I could barely smell or taste anything. Consequently, I ate just for nourishment that day, and nothing else. I realized that day that I could definitely reduce the size and quantity of my meals, so I will keep working on it.
Yesterday was a bit of an S is for sick day, but I didn't eat too badly. I had a couple of desserts at a lunch that was offered at a band concert where I played yesterday, and I had a couple of desserts yesterday night, after dinner. The only excessive thing I ate was a pack of sun butter cups, and I didn't like them at all, so I won't eat them again. I am going to allow myself more liberty with dairy free ice cream, because this stupid cold has irritated my chest, and things like ice cream, soup, and smoothies seem to help right now. I will keep the ice cream to one 4 oz ramekin, though.
As for the food issues, I still don't know. I am totally okay with keeping my dairy intake limited, because I have had more than enough times where dairy has bothered me, so I think it's best to keep it limited. I'm also okay with limiting spicy, fried, really fatty foods, and citrus, since I know those things bother me, so it's not worth it. The one food that I want back is gluten. I suppose I could try just focusing on eliminating gluten for a few weeks, and try reintroducing it, to see if I react.
Anyway, that's all for now.

Heather

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu Jul 30, 2015 4:53 pm

Just a quick update. I have been sick with a cold/allergy issues all week, so my eating has been off and on. There have been a few days where I've been really spot on with my eating, including one day (so far) of not eating at night! I've also taken a few S for sick days, though. I'll keep plugging away at it.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu Jul 30, 2015 5:14 pm

Great to hear from you! Sorry about your cold. Seems to be going around our household too! Love that your getting little successes here and there. Keep at it and those days will continue to increase little by little I'm sure!

Linda

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Aug 02, 2015 7:31 am

Thanks, Linda!

I've had a better past few days. None of them have been perfect, but I have been trying to cut back here and there (as in way less eating at night, less sugar, etc...), and my weight is holding steady, so it's a start.

One nice thing about this stupid cold is that it has decreased my appetite, so it makes it a lot easier to eat less. Anyway, I will keep plugging away at it.

Heather

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 6:56 am

For the past few days, I have gone back to doing what I intended to do, which is eating my 3 main meals on 8 inch plates, and allowing myself a small snack on a saucer at night. So far, it seems to be working fairly well! I did have a slip up yesterday night, when I ate too much after coming home from my band concert, but since I have basically intended Thursday nights to be an S night anyway (I pretty much always hang out with band members after rehearsal on Thursdays), then I guess yesterday wasn't a fail.
So I will stick to that plan: 3 main meals on 8 inch plates, and a small snack on a saucer at night. The one tweak I need to get stricter on, though, is only allowing myself sweets on my saucer at night (I've been having sweets with lunch, and at night).
I'm still working on figuring out what I can eat (sigh). For now, I'm still eating gluten and dairy free about 90 percent of the time, and I'm trying to cut back on fat intake (since it seems to help), and restricting the spices, since spices seem to bother me. I think I will make an appointment with my GI doctor to see if he has any other suggestions.
Anyway, for now, I will keep focusing on moderation with my meals. As I have said before, I am still doing calorie counting for now, but if I do well with my 8 inch plate system, I will finally ditch the calorie counting.
I'll also go back to posting meals, as a way to keep myself more accountable:
Breakfast: Coffee with soy creamer, gf cereal with cashew milk, a low FODMAP protein bar, raspberries.
Lunch: Asian salad with crispy chicken from McDonald's, about 1/3 of a medium French fry, diet Dr Pepper, 1/4 cup of M and Ms. (note to self: Do NOT get this salad again. This was not a good lunch combo for me)
Dinner: Turkey burger, sweet potato fries, the rest of the tomato I used for my burger
Snack: Coffee with almond milk creamer, small bowl of Skinny pop popcorn, small bowl of cashew milk ice cream

Heather

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 7:19 am

So, I have decided to go back to checking in regularly. After playing around with calorie counting, various fitness challenges, etc... I'm coming back to No S. For the past few days, I have gone back to sticking with 3 meals a day, and I have cut out eating at night -- except for on Thursdays after band, when a bunch of band members go out to Shari's restaurant after rehearsal. As a result, Thursdays and Fridays are shaping up to be my S days (although I'm really evaluating this. I have figured out that I do NOT do well with eating at night at home, so I would either have to eat a treat during the day, or just stick with Thursday as my S day). I have also figured out that I will never be a 100 percent compliant No Ser. For example, on Tuesdays at Bible study, I would like the freedom to have 1-2 cookies, or 1 cookie and a small serving of fruit. I have experimented with this the past few weeks, and so far, it has gone well. I think to make it work, I would just have to put my lunch on a smaller plate.
Anyway, I think my plan is 3 meals a day, with one set S day (Thursdays) and I guess floating S events. I am also trying to limit Starbucks and Jamba Juice (2 potential addictions of mine, if I don't watch it) to twice a month. So: 3 plates a day, no snacks, 1 set S day (Thursday) and floating S events (Tuesday morning Bible study and a Starbucks or Jamba Juice no more than twice a month).
I will experiment with this plan, and if I'm not seeing results, I will follow No S more strictly.

Heather

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Oct 29, 2015 2:40 am

Working around the 3-meal structure seems to be key. Mods to fit one's own life make sense.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 6:45 am

Thank you, Oolala!

Day 1 of getting back on track was a big fail.

I did great until the evening, decided to eat something after the kids went to bed, and it went downhill from there. Oh well. Days 2 and 3 (yesterday and today) have been much better! I have decided that I think I am going to have to be strict with myself and not eat at night -- unless the day is too crazy and I don't have the chance to eat dinner, but that doesn't happen very often. Today (my S day) went well! I ate fairly lightly for breakfast and lunch, and I did have a protein bar before band, because I decided to have both dinner and dessert at Sharis after the rehearsal. My eating was a little too much, but not bad (I had 1/2 a chicken salad sandwich, a garden salad, a piece of chocolate cream pie, and coffee). It was nice to be able to eat a large meal without feeling guilty.

Anyway, I'm going to try to stay more moderate tomorrow, and allow myself a few treats on Saturday, since it's Halloween.

Heather

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 6:47 pm

Great to see you back here! I hope your weekend goes well!!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 2:54 am

I'd say if you don't have a chance to eat dinner earlier, later is okay. That's not the same as "eating at night," which I assume means after you've had a dinner.

Watch those thoughts after dinner that tell you to have this or nibble on that. It's just the habit brain pattern protecting itself. The way to weaken it is to ignore it and do something else. This actually changes the neural pattern. Pretty cool .

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 7:44 am

Thanks, Linda!

Oolala, Yes, that is very true. I know that on the nights where I stay busier (like I have to practice for an upcoming concert), it is much easier to resist the urge to eat after dinner. I'll have to stay busier more often.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 7:46 am

Well, I had a decent week overall, but I did slip up tonight and eat after dinner. There wasn't a real reason for it. Anyway, I will start fresh tomorrow. I did join the Living Binge Free team on Spark People, and I have committed to going 21 days binge free. The main challenge will be at night, because my eating tends to be pretty moderate during the daytime.

Heather

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 11:13 am

Heather, my problem time is also after dinner. It Is very frustrating because the rest of the day I'm usually not even tempted any more. Sometimes, I have to resort to going to bed

one of these days I'll be in bed at 6:00. I'm confident though because I've already seen so many positive changes in my eating habits so I know it's only a matter of time and perseverance before this one falls into place as well.

Good luck with your 21! I'll be rooting for ya!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:25 am

Thanks, Ginger! I've thought about doing that same thing -- going to bed early. I don't know why it's so hard to not eat at night. I fell into the habit of eating at night awhile ago, and I am having a very hard time breaking myself of it -- even though I know I need to, because of reflux, and because I know it's not good to eat before bedtime. Anyway, I'm very frustrated with myself. I know tomorrow is a new day, so I'll try it again tomorrow.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:23 pm

I've had many times when I've wondered what the heck is going to get me to stop eating compulsively in some similar situation. Honestly, I don't know why things will change and I start doing it, BUT I will say that I have sometimes gone through a phase, short or long, where I gave up on it. Not went hogwild the other way, but just calmly saw that I was not willing to change it right then, so I didn't try to fight it so hard. I took away some of the underlying feelings of panic or sadness or fear about it while I was doing it, and just calmly engaged. I wouldn't get as excited about a it as I would a meal, but I would force myself to sit and enjoy the food. I don't know if this what was made the difference because I had no epiphanies nor have things change clearly and obviously, but I have suspected it played a part in things getting easier down the line. Given that I had an underlying love for the value of moderation, I don't think it made things worse. It wasn't rebellion as much as just reasonable acceptance of how things were right then.

No matter what, I predict that this will shift. Just don't know when!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 4:32 pm

Thank you, oolala!

natj · Post by **natj** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 12:23 am

CG-

I wish I had some words of wisdom for you, but just wanted to check in and say I know how you feel. What has worked for points in time for me is to look forward to a iced/warm drink (depending on my mood) to sort of end my meal. I have used splenda if it's a coffee type drink and honey if its a cup of tea, and while they could be considered S's I didn't think about them like that. Anyway, good to see you back and hope you can get through it!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:37 pm

Thank you, Nat!

I did have some chai tea with cashew milk and a small amount (1/2 t) of cane sugar, and it did help me to not eat anything after dinner yesterday.

Well, I jumped in on the 21 Day Challenge. My goals are 3 plates, and no eating after dinner. Yesterday was a success! I've made it through 2 meals so far today, and I'm staying strong. I will try to update tonight.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Nov 13, 2015 5:15 am

Yay you're doing great! Just keep chipping away at it and you'll eventually beat it. Doesn't have to be perfect!

Thanks for stopping by my thread--glad to see you posting again!

Linda

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sat Nov 14, 2015 10:04 pm

Thanks, Linda!

The past couple of days have not gone well.

On Thursday, I ate lunch at Panera, and it made me so bloated, I ate a very small dinner (which turned out to be a big mistake). I ended up eating a bunch at night. On Friday, I stayed strong during the day, but I laid down with a headache, woke up, and ate a bunch at night (maybe out of habit?). I'm determined to stay strong today. Part of me is thinking about doing 3 meals on 8 inch plates and eating something at night on a saucer, but I don't know... It has been such a struggle to stop eating at night, that I'm wondering if I allow myself something on a small saucer, if it would help. I'm just thinking out loud, at this point. Anyway, I will keep pressing on.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Nov 15, 2015 3:47 pm

Splenda in coffee and honey in tea are not sweets officially.

It is perfectly acceptable to wean your way off eating at night. I know of some people who allowed themselves a snack between lunch and dinner. Eventually, they dropped it.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Sun Nov 15, 2015 4:45 pm

Thanks, Oolala!

That's what I may end up doing, weaning myself off of eating at night.

Yesterday was a success! I didn't eat anything after dinner. There was one point where I was really hungry, so I had some chai tea with cashew milk and cinnamon. I'll play it by eat at night -- either I won't eat at all, or I'll allow myself something on a small saucer. For now, the goal is to break myself of bingeing at night.

I'm looking forward to another success today!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:56 pm

I'm curious to know if you are really hungry after your dinner or just have an itch to eat. I discovered before No S that I had the greatest yen to eat within 3 hours of a meal, but it wasn't empty-stomach hunger. It was/is actually more annoying than real hunger, and thus even more important to ignore, if possible. If I made it past those three hours, I was usually fine for the duration, whether that was a daytime meal or breakfast.

Also, just a suggestion, but I have found that making sure I have even an extra couple of bites of a fat at a meal makes a big difference in satiety later.

The tea beverage sounds terrific.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Nov 16, 2015 5:12 am

Yay! I'm so happy you had success. I definitely had to white knuckle it in the beginning but my plates were huge so I at least didn't have to deal w much actual hunger.

Keep plugging away for sure!

Linda

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Tue Nov 17, 2015 5:31 pm

Thank you, oolala! Honestly, it is more of an itch to eat at night -- a lot of it is because that is my only time when it's really quiet in my house, and I can totally relax. Yes, eating fat with a meal does help!
Thanks, Linda! Yes, it definitely feels like white knuckling for now, but I'm sure it will get better over time.

Well, Sunday was a success (yay!), but yesterday was a fail.

Today will be an NWS. My Bible study is having an end of quarter potluck. I'm determined to have just a few treats there, and stay on track the rest of the day. Also, I will go back to not eating after dinner. It definitely seems to work better for me, when I don't eat at night.

Heather

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 5:13 pm

Tuesday night ended up being a fail. I ate too much at that potluck, and it threw me off track for the rest of the day. The next time my Bible study has one of these, I will eat breakfast beforehand, and limit myself to one very small plate of treats.

Wednesday ended up being a fail. I've got to nip this nighttime eating in the bud.

Thursday (yesterday) was a success! Thursday night is my 's night,' because that is when some other band members and I head to Shari's restaurant, after rehearsals. I ended up not eating dinner at home before band, and I just ate a moderate-sized dinner and a piece of pie at Shari's. However, yesterday's dinner reinforced that I'm still sensitive to onions (something I learned from doing low FODMAPS), so I'll go back to avoiding them. I'm also realizing more and more that I'm sensitive to dairy (maybe to the casein?), because I've been allowing myself more cheese lately, and my gut has not been happy with me. I think I will try avoiding cheese entirely for the next several days, and limit my dairy to butter (which I do okay with) and the tiny amounts of dairy in any processed foods I eat.

Friday: Success!

Saturday (21st): Success!

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Fri Nov 27, 2015 6:56 pm

The last few days before Thanksgiving were a mix, there were a couple of successes, and a couple of fails, where I allowed myself to eat holiday sweets at night. Yesterday was Thanksgiving, so it was, of course, an S Day.😃 I allowed it to be more of a free for all, and I enjoyed it. Today will be an NWS day, because I'm having Thanksgiving with DH's family. I will allow myself a few extra goodies, but I'm going to try to stick to 3 plates today, with no nighttime eating. I will officially get back on track with my eating tomorrow.

It looks like I may be embarking on a new health journey, which will directly affect my eating. My doctor found some thyroid nodules, and after going through a thyroid ultrasound and a FNA biopsy (which was awful!), I found out that something came back 'a little suspicious.' I meet with my doctor on Tuesday, and I'm pretty sure I will have to have at least the right side of my thyroid removed soon, which may very well mean going on thyroid meds. I'm very nervous about the meds affecting my weight, and I'm thinking the only way to keep my weight somewhat under control without making myself crazy over food is No S. I will update this when I meet with my doctor.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 6:14 am

Oh wow Heather. So sorry you're dealing with another health issue. :/ maybe the nodules were affecting your weight/appetite & this will help? I have no idea but just trying to be hopeful.

Let us know how it goes. Best of luck.

Linda

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 11:59 am

Heather, I hope the doctor's appointment yields some good news. Do let us know how your doing. Good luck.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:46 pm

Thank you, Linda! I strongly suspect the nodules have been affecting my weight and appetite, although I don't know for sure. Thank you, Ginger! I will keep you posted.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:55 pm

I had a rough few days over the Thanksgiving holidays, in terms of eating. The family time was great! Anyway, I figured out that having too many desserts around =too much temptation. Plus, a lot of the desserts were aggravating my GI issues. I am getting back on track today, and so far, it is going well. I have decided, that for now, I will allow myself one safe sweet at night, along with something non-sugary, like popcorn. This worked well for me when I was doing the low FODMAPS diet. I'll see how it goes, and if it ends up being too much of a slippery slope, I'll go back to trying to be stricter with the 3 plates.

Breakfast: Mighty Tasty hot cereal (Bob's Red Mill) with butter and a dash of salt, chicken sausages, applesauce, coffee with coconut milk creamer.

Lunch: Panera (Chicken panini (you pick 2), cup of broccoli cheddar soup, baguette, coffee).

Dinner: Thanksgiving left overs (turkey and mashed potatoes with a small amount of gravy, roasted veggies)

PM snack: 2 GF chocolate cookies, small bowl of Skinnypop popcorn

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 6:00 am

Looks like a really well balanced day! I hope you get some answers soon.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 10:29 pm

Hope things are going ok.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 1:15 am

Just a quick update on my thyroid tests. One of the nodules came back with a 50-80 percent chance of being cancerous (papillary thyroid cancer), so I will have surgery to have the right half of my thyroid removed Jan. 15. If, during the surgery, the doctor determines the nodule is cancerous, he'll remove the entire thyroid. It sounds like regardless of what happens, I will be on thyroid medication. Anyway, all of this news will definitely relate to how I eat. My doctor said that my thyroid levels were low now, and after my surgery (even if he just removes the right half of my thyroid), I will more than likely become hypothyroid until the doctor figures out the right dose of medication. Consequently, I now want to really try to buckle down on my eating habits, to hopefully lose a few pounds before my surgery. What this means for me is I'll have to be stricter about sticking with my 3-4 plates of food. I will most likely do 3 eight-inch plates, and 1 saucer. The night eating is going to have to go, although I will still keep my S night (Thursday after band), and I will reserve the right to eat something after band concerts, because I'm usually pretty hungry after concerts. I'll also still allow myself some treats on special days like Christmas Eve, Christmas, etc... If this indeed turns out to be cancer, I'll probably reserve sugary treats for very special occasions like my birthday, because I've heard that cancer feeds on sugar, so I would want to cut way back on it. In the meantime, I may try limiting Christmas treats to one plate a day (maybe lunch?), so I can get started with cutting back on sugar, and eventually I'd like to get to following a more traditional form of No S (except, like I said above, I would have an S night, plus allow sweets on special occasions).
Anyway, sorry this is so long, but I've been doing a LOT of thinking the past few days.
Thank you, Linda and Oolala!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 3:36 am

Oh wow I'm so sorry Heather. I wouldn't worry too much about trying to lose weight right now. Just focus on keeping your stress levels down and getting through this as best you can. Your habits will help with keeping you feel sane I'm sure but the whole weight thing can wait. Easier said then done I know but just a thought.

Big hugs and I really hope everything is okay.

Linda

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 1:57 am

Thank you, Linda.

You make a very valid point, and I may end up just not worrying about my weight, and just focusing on eating healthier. My biggest fear (and why I do want to lose weight) is that it sounds like I'll become hypothyroid for at least a little bit after my surgery, until my body adjusts to the medication (assuming I do go on it). I'm afraid it's going to cause my weight to balloon way up.

Anyway, I'm hoping that focusing on eating healthier will help prevent (or at least minimize) any weight gain.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 2:35 pm

Hopefully it'll all work out. DH says while it does usually take awhile to get meds right, it doesn't typically result in weight gain. That's just been his experience with patients though, your doctor may have seen something else but wanted to let you know.

Have a great weekend!

Linda

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:33 pm

You definitely have even more incentive for strict moderation! Sorry you're having to go through this, but it does sound like the general prognosis is good. And smart eating is healthy no matter what we weigh.

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 3:36 am

CG-

Am so sorry to hear about your upcoming surgery- just hoping things go well. Keep us posted.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 6:55 am

Thank you, Linda, Oolala, and Nat!

Well, it was a rough week, in terms of eating, but I'm ready to get back at it. I'm tired of my gut feeling off from too many sweets. Today was a success! It was kind of a weird eating day, because I didn't get the chance to eat breakfast until after my step class, ate lunch out, and I also ended up eating dinner out after my band concert. I still ate a few too many sweets, but it was 1000 times better than what my eating has been all week, and I ate nothing after dinner. For the next couple of weeks, I think I'm going to focus strictly on not bingeing at night, since that is, by far, my biggest struggle. After that, I will further limit the sweets. Snacking during the daytime and seconds have never been huge issues for me.

Giada · Post by **Giada** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:40 am

CG, the upcoming weeks will be difficult (not only all the festive eating, but surgery as well), so if you can keep from eating after dinner, it will be a huge achievement in itself. I'm sure it will also inspire you to tackle the other eating problems.

You have a lot to deal with at the moment - I hope all goes well with the surgery, and best wishes.

Imogen Morley · Post by **Imogen Morley** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:50 am

I've been just catching up with everyone. Sorry to hear about your surgery, but it seems that you're in good hands and with good plan in mind.

LoriLifts · Post by **LoriLifts** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 4:38 pm

I hope you feel better soon Cgal.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 2:56 am

Thank you, Giada, Imogen, and WalkerLori!

Well, I fell off the wagon completely over the holidays.

Today has been my last day of overindulgent eating, and I will be getting back on track tomorrow. In light of everything that will be going on with and after my thyroid surgery, I think No S is the best eating plan for me. I came up with a structure that will work for me, and now, I need to stick with it (three meals on 8 inch plates, and one meal on a saucer). I do need to conquer the sweets, and I think the best plan is my slightly modified version of Vanilla No S, but for now, I think I need to first work on actually sticking with my plan.
Anyway, I will try to go back to posting regularly, for the accountability.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:04 am

The past few days have been mixed, but I had a HUGE success today!

I actually made it one entire day without any sweets!

I do have a moderate headache right now, but at least I can take pride in the fact that I made it a day without sweets (something I haven't done in a long time!). I will try to go without sweets again tomorrow, and I'm starting to entertain the thought of going somewhat Vanilla. One of my S days will still be Thursday night after band, and I may still keep one weekend day (maybe Friday night, since I'm more active on Fridays). I'll still stick with my 4 meal a day plan, though, because that seems to work better for me.

Breakfast: GF Mighty Tasty hot cereal with butter and sea salt, turkey sausage patties, 1 Mandarin orange, small bowl of applesauce, coffee with homemade creamer sweetened with dates

Lunch: Panera You Pick 2. Garden vegetable pesto soup, and a 1/2 salad, with the French baguette for the side. Coffee with half and half.

Dinner: Lara bar, crockpot fajita chicken over rice, small bowl of peaches.

Evening snack: Bowl of chicken noodle soup and 2 packets of Saltines, coffee with half and half

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 5:14 pm

Well done! Sounds really good