Jan in Georgia's daily check in

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Mon May 09, 2011 8:37 pm

Hello all. I am pretty new to this way of eating, having just discovered it at the end of last week. Yesterday was my first day (but it was an S day, conveniently), so I wanted to have some accountability.

I did set up HabitCal and am beginning to use it.

May 8 (Mother's Day)-S Day
May 9: Success and 33 minutes walking (hate it in this heat!) Funny business: I had a business meeting tonight. Since there is always food, I just ate about half a plate full (immediately before leaving home) and hit the veggie tray, fruit salad in small portions at the meeting. That way I didn't starve and I didn't eat the sweets and it really would have all fit on a dinner plate. I didn't think that was cheating, but please let me know if I am doing this wrong.

Who Me? · Post by **Who Me?** » Mon May 09, 2011 8:40 pm

Hmm... My last comment didn't register.

I think you're doing great.

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Tue May 10, 2011 2:16 am

Thanks! I really appreciate it. I am so used to a diet mentality that it's really hard to try and think outside the diet box!

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Tue May 10, 2011 11:34 pm

May 10: Borderline success/failure? Okay, I am not really sure on this one. It's a tough call (for me, probably not for some of ya'll). I did great on the food intake all day long until getting ready for dinner. Hubby is out of town so it is just me and the kiddos (2 teen boys, one is autistic). Got a call with some disturbing news and found myself putting food in my mouth before I even knew I was doing it. It wasn't even good food (a left over Atkins bar from a former low-carb plan). I felt simply crazy. How could I not even know that I was eating? Dinner was cooking and I would have told the boys not to eat before dinner. At least it was a self contained amount. I can't imagine the damage I could have done with some real sugar!

For what little bit it is worth I immediately stopped when I realized what I was doing. I looked critically at how much I had eaten and then reduced that amount from my dinner plate. So, I got on track again (I think), but I can't really consider this a success, but is it really a failure since I compensated immediately? I just don't know how to count this (or if it really matters that I categorize it at all).

As for exercise, my allergies kicked in hugely yesterday evening and my eyes were swollen. So, I stayed inside, but did 7 minutes of body weight exercises (can't do 14 yet). So, I did exercise. But, I much prefer walking outside, so I am not sure what to do about the allergies and air quality issues. I already take allergy meds daily.

Edited later to add: Exercise success! I was happy with the body weight exercises that I did during the day, but I really hated not going on my walk due to allergies, so I just turned on some music and danced in my living room. My teenagers told me to turn the music down (wimps!) and were embarrassed that I was acting like a dork. I figured if they didn't know that by now, then they better get it figured out! Anyway, I got in a little over 30 minutes of dance/resistance band upper body work, so I feel great about that part.

SkyKitty · Post by **SkyKitty** » Wed May 11, 2011 6:22 am

I hope I don't sound harsh, but I would call the atkins bar munching a failure, becuase if you acknowledge the failures you're being honest with yourself instead of making excuses and it makes the successes all the sweeter.

However, I would say the way you dealt with the failure was excellent, you realised and stopped and most importantly didn't say, well to hell with it I've already failed I may as well eat whatever for the rest of the day, which is what a lot of people might have done, and also I think you can be pretty sure it won't happen again because you really thought about it and why it happened.

So failure for one day, but a lesson learned which will last a lot longer.

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Wed May 11, 2011 12:54 pm

SkyKitty, thanks for weighing in. I really appreciate that you were honest. I don't think it's harsh at all. That's just reality sometimes. I agree with you. I don't want to, but I really do!

I have just got to learn and I know that this will be a process and not a magic ball. So... onward and upward, I guess.

Who Me? · Post by **Who Me?** » Wed May 11, 2011 2:16 pm

Whoa whoa whoa!

You ate a little bit of food before dinner, and then wrote "At least it was a self contained amount. I can't imagine the damage I could have done with some real sugar!"

I think that's dangerous thinking. Yours not going to "damage" yourself with a couple of candy bars. It's maybe not the smartest thing to be eating, but it's not like you were stabbing yourself in the hand with a knife.

Loosen up. Don't be so hard on yourself.

The successes will come. But you have to be good to yourself.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Wed May 11, 2011 8:51 pm

Jan in Georgia wrote:I have just got to learn and I know that this will be a process and not a magic ball. So... onward and upward, I guess.

You know, that's actually been the most useful part of No S for me. Learning to accept process - progress, not perfection. (And it translates so well to other areas of life too.)

It's such an important lesson that I learn it over and over. Of course, life gives lots of opportunities for practice.

Hang in there. And be gentle with yourself- celebrate every accomplishment. (Like stopping. That's BIG!)

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Thu May 12, 2011 12:20 am

Who Me?: I guess that came across badly. I really meant that I am really bad to binge on sugar once I get a taste of it. Not a knife in the hand, but it really disturbs me sometimes that I seem to have no self control around food. Food is so basic to life, yet I have managed to distort its purpose in my life. Just aggravated with myself, I guess, but poor word choices nonetheless. I appreciate the reminder to be good to myself. I don't think that the "dieting" part of my life is very nice at all. LOL!

KCCC: Thanks for the support and the reminder that I did, after all, stop and that is something to be proud of. In the past, I often got sucked into "all or nothing" thinking patterns and one slip up was permission to eat EVERYTHING as response/self-punishment. But, this one time, I stopped. Hope I can keep it up.

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Thu May 12, 2011 12:26 am

May 11: Success! Exercise: Success!

Today went much more smoothly than yesterday, so I felt pretty good about it. I was starving between breakfast and lunch, so I will try to add some more protein or fat or something so it holds me over better. Other than that, I am okay. I am really digging getting to eat foods that I actually enjoy and want to eat and not what some crazy book tells me to eat!

Hubby comes back home tonight and that will put everything right in our routine, so that will help also.

I have also noticed that exercise is not as miserable as it used to be. I think giving myself permission to not walk outside until the allergies pass has made me feel much better.

Who Me? · Post by **Who Me?** » Thu May 12, 2011 1:38 am

Whooo Hoooo! Way to go!!!!!

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Thu May 12, 2011 4:07 am

Thanks, Who Me! I am pretty excited about it myself!

SkyKitty · Post by **SkyKitty** » Thu May 12, 2011 8:18 am

Well done!!
Every success deserves celebration.
Also I think you're probably right to let yourself off walking outside if because of your allergies. Exercise is meant to benefit not punish your body.

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Fri May 13, 2011 3:49 am

May 12: Success! Exercise: Success!

Skykitty: thanks for your kind words. I have definitely felt better (if still sneezing with watery eyes) by working out inside the house, but I can't wait to get back to my walks when I can. Unfortunately, the heat is ramping up here in Georgia, so I may have to start walking in the mornings to avoid it.

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Fri May 13, 2011 4:10 pm

Woah! I had always heard that as you get older, that soreness comes a little slower after a workout. Yikes! Apparently, it took 4 whole days before the pain from working out became apparent. I am not horribly sore, but I expected to feel stiff and ache-y on Tuesday or Wednesday, but Friday as the first real aches set in? Who knew?

One more day and then I can vegetate somewhat for the weekend! Possibly with a heat wrap....

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Sat May 14, 2011 1:53 am

May 13: Success! Exercise: Success!

Exercise was a real challenge today since I was already sore from working out, but knowing that exercise is optional tomorrow and won't be happening at all on Sunday, did make it a bit more palatable to give in and get it over with. I did concentrate more on dancing around my living room like an idiot and less on the resistance work, though.

Hubby and both kids are gone camping for the weekend, so it's kind of odd thinking of having my first "real" S days (not like the first one that was the very first day of my No S plan--it was just a default day of not doing anything differently) without anyone to share my treat with. Kind of strange.

It's also kind of strange that I don't know what I want tomorrow. I did pick up a French bread pizza for tomorrow, but as for something that is a sweet treat, nothing has stood out to me yet. I guess I can see what sounds good tomorrow. Kind of strange, though, since I am a major sugar addict and while I am happy to know that I can have a little something tomorrow, I am not chomping at the bit to get the sweets. Maybe just knowing that I can have some is good enough.

Anyway, I survived my first 5 N days of No S (with only 1 failure), so I do feel pretty good about that part. I have 5 perfect days of exercise, so I am pretty happy about that, too.

I am also trying to break myself from weighing myself too often, but I succumbed and got on the scale this morning. I lost 4 lbs! I know it's probably water and all, but I will take it!

Of course, from reading on this board, I know that the more you have to lose, the faster some folks begin to lose. That's the only really up side that I can see to being so overweight to begin with! LOL!

Who Me? · Post by **Who Me?** » Sat May 14, 2011 1:55 am

Sounds like you had a great week.

Hold your head up high, especially with your fluffy hair!

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Sat May 14, 2011 2:53 am

Thanks, Who Me: I will definitely try. For years I taught high school and I learned really quickly that it didn't help to be far shorter than my students!

Who Me? · Post by **Who Me?** » Sat May 14, 2011 3:18 am

What is it they say?

"The bigger then hair, the closer to God."

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Sat May 14, 2011 4:35 pm

LOL! Sounds good to me! In the deep South there is always the correlation that the bigger the hair, the smaller the hips!

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Mon May 16, 2011 3:05 am

Weekend update for No S Diet and exercise:
Saturday: S Day!
Sunday: S Day!

I have to say that I really enjoyed my weekend, food wise. I didn't exercise (didn't have to, but would have if I had wanted to) due to being kind of sore. And, I found that I really enjoyed my food and treats. I don't even mind knowing that I am back to my N Days tomorrow, so that is good also.

Normally, I have anxiety associated with going back on a diet and knowing that I will be miserable on the first day that I just don't feel with the No S Diet! It's quite liberating, actually.

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Tue May 17, 2011 3:12 am

May 16: Success! Exercise: Failure!

Other than the fact that I ate a large dinner (one plate, of course) and find myself still hungry later tonight, it has been a good day, food-wise.

Exercise is a disappointment today. My feet are very sore lately so I am giving myself a grace day. If I make up an extra day of exercise during the weekend, I will go back to make today exempt instead. But, just in case I don't actually do that, it will be listed as a failure.

I am kind of proud of myself with the food thing because I got a call from my son's neurologist that recent testing indicates seizures. We go in two days to talk to him and get our treatment plan. Scary stuff for me. Son is mildly autistic (14 yrs old) and seizures are a major cause of death among autistic teens. I know that with treatment, the risks nearly vanish, but it just scares the Mommy-part of me to death. So, I ate comfort foods, within reason, during meals. No S gave me the framework that allowed me to indulge in comforting foods during a stressful time while keeping the volume under control. I am grateful for that! Normally, I would have gone binge-o-riffic over it.

Who Me? · Post by **Who Me?** » Tue May 17, 2011 4:16 am

Hang in there, we're cheering for you!

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Wed May 18, 2011 1:19 am

Thanks, Who Me? I really appreciate the support.

May 17: Success! Exercise: Success!

Stressful day, but made it through okay. I did exercise, but maybe not wholeheartedly, but, hey, I actually did it and I am okay with that.

Jan in Georgia · Post by **Jan in Georgia** » Fri May 20, 2011 4:45 pm

May 18: Success! Exercise: Failure!
May 19: Success! Exercise: Failure!

Sorry, I have been out of touch. Things have been kind of crazy around here. My son was diagnosed with a type of epileptic seizures, so that has taken up much of our time.

As far as food, I am doing pretty well and staying to plan, although I have been absolutely dying for my S-Day treats since Thursday! But, I am hanging in there.

As for the exercise, ICK! I have not done well with this part at all. I wonder if it might have been too much to try and change my eating habits and exercise habits at the same time? But, our homeschool year is almost over so things may calm down a bit.

On a happy note, I have lost one-half pound this week! So, that puts me at 4.5 lbs down over two weeks. Not too shabby!

Strawberry Roan · Post by **Strawberry Roan** » Fri May 20, 2011 6:53 pm

Congrats on the weight loss, I think you are a bit too hard on yourself as far as the plan - you are doing great.

Wishing you well with your son's health issues.

SkyKitty · Post by **SkyKitty** » Mon May 23, 2011 11:23 am

Hope you're still doing well Jan in Georgia, and big hugs for your family health difficulties. Still sending you good thoughts for No S success