Everyday Systems

Whoosh! Here I go!

Starting my No-S tomorrow. Knees are knockin' a bit since the things I struggle most with on a recurring basis are ... sugar, snacks, and of course, seconds (meaning just too much food).

This is perfectly suited to what I need.

Gotta draw that line and be tough. I expect to be grumpy for awhile. If I can pull up my big girl panties and act like an adult instead of a spoiled brat, I believe I can succeed.

DSTSS stands for Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. Not going to track calories, CICO, worry about all the usual "diet" stuff. Just going to work the plan for 21 days and see where it lands me. I'm hoping to experience some of the transformations that I've read about here.

Excited. Hopeful. A tad anxious.
Might even need to get a few failures under my belt.
Ready. Set. Go!

Perfect mindset! You are right, this diet isn't particularly difficult but does take some maturity. Luckily you can let your inner rebel out on S days!

Welcome & gl!

Linda😀

Welcome. I hope you find what you need here. What specificly are you nervous about? Maybe We can help you problem solve.

Have a great first day.

Welcome! I am 10 days in and enjoying it. Wow, I can't believe I'm almost half way through 21 days! What's helped me is to read a little bit of the No S book each day. Specifically the chapters on habit making and strictness. Best of luck to you!

Welcome and good luck! Do let us know how the beginning is coming along for you. I had a few very hungry days at first but then wised up to what to put on that one plate to hold me over, and it's been pretty much a breeze since then. I was fearful of fat, and that acted against me big time, but the beauty of this diet is, if you follow it and have one plate til the next meal (I told myself no one ever died of starvation between meals, for Pete's sake!) you quickly learn how to fuel yourself to avoid the hunger.

I'm new, too. This is but my second week. Happy to see you posting here

Thanks all for your kind & supportive comments!

Doing well so far today. Just got home from work, and this is my most vulnerable time. I'm tired & hungry! But truthfully feeling pretty good. I know what's for dinner (3/4 the battle, I think), and recognize that I'll be fine until then. I do wish my college boys would drop by and finish the leftover banana cream pie in the fridge, though. Maybe I'll take it to give to co-workers tomorrow. Outta here!

Gingerpie - My fears, I guess, are just a lack of faith in myself. Sometimes I start something new, but when temptation rears its ugly head I too often give in. I LIKE these hard and fast rules. I LIKE the fact that I can have what I'm missing in a few days. I LIKE the idea that I have to plan ahead so that I get enough satisfying food to hold me over. I think I WILL enjoy my food more when it isn't just a free-for-all.

Jbgnos - So nice to hear how you are figuring out how to fill your plate. Any pointers?

Kittson - Good idea to read bits of the program every day. Do you find much more info in the book that what's available online?

Linda -- I see you are from AZ! I'm in Tucson! Where are you?

I'll be back to report once my day is finished.

Day 1: SUCCESS!

Hey! That felt good!

Pretty hungry by dinnertime. Really filled my plate because I was afraid (that word again) of not being satisfied. Ate a lot, probably too much. I can see it will take a while to figure quantity and timing.

No big challenges today. No sweet temptations to derail me. Think I can do it again tomorrow!

I put the scale away this week. Don't want to concentrate on weight, but on habit.

Yay you're doing great!! I Really piled my plates in the beginning and I know it's what helped me build those habits. My portions are much smaller now but You can't rush the process.

Btw, I'm in the Phoenix area on the west side. Love tucson though and really need to take my girls there soon!

Keep up the good work!

Linda

Congrats on a successful first day! I put the scale away too, and won't weigh in for a month. I am feeling so great after 10 days on No S that I really really want to weigh myself, but I know that would probably sabotage my habit making process at this point. Have a wonderful Day 2!

Thanks Linda! That is exactly what I'm trying to do, build habits, and I guess if it means I eat more for awhile, that's ok. Don't want to feel deprived and throw in the towel.

Kittson - I have been a daily weigher for years, so this is different for me. It's kind of a relief! I'll still weigh in once a week for a couple of teams I'm on at Sparkpeople, but I don't want to base my determination of my success by the scale. The habit-building is WAY more important than that number. So nice to hear about how good you feel on No-S! That's a huge reward in itself!

Day 2: SUCCESS!!

Interesting day. A little more challenging than yesterday, but I came off successful, nonetheless. Co-worker brought Easter candy in and left it on the break room table. I steered clear. Funeral for a friend in the afternoon left me feeling emotional, usually leading to a sugar-soothe, but I just laid down for a few minutes instead. Had some negative thoughts, but quashed them with 3 firm rules of the day. Dinner was planned. I ate more than enough to be satisfied.

That green square on my calendar looks pretty good!

Tried to be aware of my hunger level today. Wasn't really hungry at breakfast time, but ate well to fuel the morning. Tummy started growling about 3 hours later, with still 2 hours til lunch, but not too uncomfortable.
Afternoon was hardest again, when I just wanted to snack. On sweet stuff. Have I mentioned that the No-S Diet is just what I need?

Hoping that my ability to recognize real hunger and satiety will come back into focus. I'm still feeling quite full from dinner 2 1/2 hours ago, and recognize that I ate more than I really needed.

Tomorrow will bring new challenges, as it is a day off work for me. Planning an early breakfast and a hike with friends. No granola bars for me, so I best fuel well. Still need to plan my meals for the day, since I think that has really helped.

Now that I've been so virtuous, it seems like the scale ought to be about 11 pounds down, right?

Way to go!!! Keep up the good work:)

Wow, way to handle your emotions. You really hit it out of the park with not eating after a funeral. That would be really hard. Sorry for your loss.

Don't feel guilty about the amount you are eating at your meals right now. You are following the habits, you had 3 meals, one plate each and no snacking. You got green for the day and that is a success!

Have a wonderful hike today!

Day 3: Success!

Didn't know I had it in me.

You have that and a lot more. good luck today.

Excellent job!! You are doing great!

Day 4: SUCCESS!

Thanks Kittson and gingerpie for the encouragement! It means a lot!

I am loving this! I'm starting to scale down a bit on the overloaded plate. I even packed up some of my dinner last night to take for lunch today, as I recognized feelings of fullness before wolfing it all down.

This is such a new experience for me. I realize just how much I was eating for snacks, especially after work. Planning, delaying, enjoying ... it just makes so much sense, and feels so good.

Stocked my fridge with lots of healthy foods so I can make good choices at mealtime. I'm cooking more. My hubby has been doing lots of the cooking in the last few months since he works from home, but he's pretty pleased when I do a little more. He even sees the wisdom of this way of eating, and is planning on joining me ... which is amazing!!

So ... one more day to go before my S-days. Looking forward to a special Easter brunch with family, still debating bringing candy into the house. Maybe if I buy it, and enjoy a few pieces, I'll make sure it departs the house with my guests!

Onward!

Yay! You're doing great & seems like NoS is really helping you in s lot of ways! Sweets aren't a big temptation for me so not sure about the candy thing but at some point i bet you'll be able to have sweets in the house w no problem. Just wait till your ready!

Linda

You're doing so well! Nice job on packing up part of your meal for later. That's hard to do when our meals are one plate already. When I did that this week for the first time I was jumping for joy!

Have a great time cooking. It really can be so much fun.

Very nice! YOu're making huge changes that many people take years to tackle: doing something to take care of yourself when you're sad, not food (which often makes us feel WORSE), buying healthy foods to increase chances of success, scaling down on the plates (that's part of it...I had food teetering off the edge of mine for a while!), and listening to your hunger cues. Not just figuring them out but also HEEDING them

These are huge, huge, huge advancements! You should be proud

Hi. If sweets are one of your "things", I'd just buy what you want/need for the weekend then send any leftovers home with others (or just throw them away - they aren't really food and no one really needs them ) If they are especially nice, you could freeze some for future s-day treats.

Your doing great -enjoy your weekend.

Thanks Linda, Kittson, jbgnos, and gingerpie for stopping by and for your encouragement. I does make a difference to share these experiences with people who really understand what it means, and helps to reinforce my commitment to stick with it.

So ... drumroll please ...
Day 5: SUCCESS!

Yippee. Doing the happy dance!

Couple of things I've learned after 5 days:

• My snacking was way out of hand.
  I crave snacks most intensely in the afternoon, after work.
  Delaying my eating until mealtime is not that hard.
  I have not gotten too hungry all week.
  Planning ahead for meals is important.
  I have amazing capacity for self-discipline when I truly make a decision!

So now for my first S-days. And Easter. In the past I would eat way more candy and treats than reasonable, and the holiday would last for several days until it was all gone. My husband did buy candy for our family gathering today. I'll eat some, and I expect I'll enjoy it. And we'll get rid of it by sending it home with kids, and maybe pack some away for another S-day, if we want. But it isn't going to take over my psyche.

I've always been an all-or-nothing gal with sweets. This will be interesting to see if I struggle getting back on track on Monday after an indulgence. I hope I can, because then, as Kittson posted, I can just be a normal person and eat normally. That is HUGE.

And ... as a happy side note ... I did weigh-in this morning, and have lost weight this week! Good reinforcement. It brings recognition that I was eating way more calories in my uncontrolled snacking, sweet-eating, and seconds than I supposed. I have NOT been TOO hungry this week. Yes, I've experienced hunger, but normal hunger. I've experienced cravings, but nothing I couldn't suppress. I've been stronger and more determined than I imaged I could. I was able to sit at tables festooned with Easter candy and not take one bite. I've sat with friends while they ate dessert, and not felt too deprived because I knew I could have some in a day or two. Good, good stuff.

Great reflections! Keep going strong and enjoy the weekend!

You've had some great reflections here! I am so happy for you, and in addition to the things you've learned about intake, you also saw a drop in the scale. Double win! What great reinforcement for the new habits you're creating!

Enjoy the candy today! I picked out two Russell Stover eggs yesterday, and I've decided that I am bringing them to my family's Easter celebration today. I will cut them up and ask if anyone wants to sample them with me. It's fun to share now that I am not restricting food. That way we can each get a small bite, and it seems that sweets taste their best the first few bites. After the first bite or two of sweets, I tend to just zone out and eat without truly enjoying it.

Congrats again, you've had a great 5 days!!

Day 6: S-Day
Day 7: S-Day

Okay, truth be told, I was very idiotic about my S-Days. I think it had to do with the combo of the weekend + Easter. Big family gathering yesterday. Just ate when and what I wanted, and then some. A little better today, but not controlled at all. Looking forward to N-days and structure and plans. Hoping next S-days I can be more moderate, and strengthen the good habits while allowing a small, planned indulgence.

I felt SO MUCH BETTER on my N-days!

DSTSS, don't forget to "Don't sweat the small stuff." We all need some practice getting our s-days to where we want them to be but it will come in time. You made a mistake, you felt icky because of it and now you can move on to the next week of structure and building good habits.

Good luck in the coming week,

DSTSS - I ate more than I really wanted to this weekend too. In addition to my Russell Stover eggs, I hung around a dish of M & Ms at my parents house, ate crackers/cheese/meat when I wasn't hungry, and then ate a meal of steak, etc. on top of that. And then today I had some popcorn at the movies when I really was not hungry. So I'm with you, I'm ready for N days. Today on the way home from the movies, I re-read the S day chapter. Reinhard says, that's what S days are for! They are the relief valve, and because we eased up this weekend we are both ready to go back to N days tomorrow. It will get better! And I write this to myself as well as try to reassure you. I want it to get better too!

Cannot even begin to tell you how many over the top S days I had in the beginning but it was 10+ months till they got to a comfortable place. Hang in there. It's definitely part of the process.

Linda

I hear you DSTSS! Ditto to everything you said. But, I am starting to notice small things, like not wanting chocolate because it doesn't sound good, as small rays of hope. I think our diet minds will change slowly and gradually. It took many years for some of us to develop diet brain, and it will take some time to undo. I think I did my first diet at seven. I wasn't overweight....how messed up is that?

Whew!
Day 8: Success!
Day 9: Success!

Ahhhh. Much better!

Retrogirl! Not wanting chocolate? That's bigger than a ray of hope ... it's a blazing fireball! Good for you!

Linda -- I so appreciate your perspective as someone who has been doing this for awhile. This second week is easier for me in some ways, but I'm also recognizing old thought patterns surfacing, like, "Mmm, I'd really like something sweet right now." So far I'm focused enough to remember not to act on the thought, and hope I can hang in there long enough to really have this be my new normal. It is such a relief, really, to just know I'm am done for the night (or whatever meal I've just finished), and know I'll be fine til the next one.

Kittson - you inspire me with your fitness routine! Thanks for the encouragement. Like you, I'm hoping to develop more moderate S-days. I want to enjoy them, but not go hog wild.

Gingerpie - thanks for the reminder! I think getting back to the structure has helped me get over the excess of last weekend. I can learn from it, and move on.

My next challenge is jury duty tomorrow. Normally I would have packed a bag of snacks to help me pass the time while waiting. I'm thinking about packing a filling meal instead. One thing I'm learning is that I can plan for success and follow through. That's a good feeling!

Good luck with jury duty! Great idea with packing a filling meal.

One thing I'm learning is that I can plan for success and follow through.

Yep, agree! You're doing great!

I'm thinkin' there is rarely success without a plan you're on the right road for sure! Good luck at jury duty.

Did it!
Day 10: Success!

Epiphany of the day ... why on earth have I spent my life thinking I can't get along without a snack? I have filled my empty spaces with food. Bored? Tired? Upset? Snack!

Packed my lunch for jury duty. Didn't even get to it before I was dismissed -- light day at the courthouse. Recognized that had I been in my normal mindset, I'd have been eating all morning ... maybe carrot sticks or pea pods, but still eating.

And ... another epiphany. I carried with me a bag filled with my Kindle (loaded with lots of options for reading, in case one or the other didn't hold my attention), a book (in case my charge ran out and I could find an outlet), my MP3 player (loaded with books on tape), my chargers (in case I could find an outlet), a notebook (in case I wanted to make a list of things to do) ... gum, tissues, water . . . OH MY GOODNESS!

I looked at others with their single paperback book in hand, and realized how ridiculous I can be! What am I afraid of? Being alone with my own thoughts? Having to walk to the restroom to blow my nose? Or, heaven forbid, having to strike up a conversation with a stranger? Yikes!:lol:

Maybe it stems from packing diaper bags for kids (who, BTW, are now all adults) or being a Boy Scout leader ... you know, Be Prepared! But maybe there is more to my overpacking my belly than I ever supposed!

Learning lots!

I really enjoy reading your insights. The light bulb moments during the first few weeks are pretty amazing.

Congrats on another green day!

Thanks Kittson! I fear I blither a bit. But it helps to write what I'm learning down, I think.

Day 11: Success!

Struggled a bit more yesterday. Lots of "mouth hunger," sweet cravings, wondering if this will really make a difference. Fortunately my logic won out over my emotions. Had a wonderful dinner that satisfied. Used a slightly sweet poppy seed dressing on my huge salad that helped with the craving but didn't set me off. Starting to think about my S-days. Not sure how to handle them. I know I don't want to go overboard. I'm still feeling a little out of control when I know I can have free rein. Perhaps I'll plan a dessert for one meal each day and just see if that is enough.

Day 12: Success
Day 13: S-Day

You're doing great DSTSS! Nice job on using the dressing to satisfy the craving. How are your S days going?

Thanks Kittson!

Yesterday S-day ... better than last week, but still left me feeling overfull and bloated. Everything was like an N-day until evening when we went out to dinner. Over-hungry, overate. Then, because I could, I ate a snack of peanuts, choc chips and raisins. No different than I would have done pre-no-s, but left me feeling gross. I wasn't even hungry. Today my plan is to eat like an N-day, but allow a sweet dessert, if I want it.

I've been looking at shovelglove this morning. Have you ever tried it? I know you do kettlebells, which I guess has the same kind of effect.

Day 14: S-Day
Day 15: Success

Day 16: Success
Day 17: Success

Doing well! Had some cravings this afternoon, but was able to stave them off. Good trip to the grocery store, so lots of good, healthy food to choose from. Trying to eat a little less at mealtime, with some success. Don't feel quite so desperate.

Doing my best to keep building this positive habit.

Day 18: Success!

You're doing great DSTSS!! I haven't tried shovel glove, have you tried it yet?

Thank you Kittson. I'm pretty happy about this whole thing!

Yes, I've tried shovelglove. Didn't have a proper sledgehammer, so it wasn't perfect, but I am getting a feeling for the moves with a lighter weight. Maybe this week I'll see if I can find a better solution. Did a resistance band workout today instead, and felt it! Good stuff.

Day 19: Success I get a giant exclamation point because I nearly chose to indulge in ice cream last night with the family. My husband asked me if it was close enough to an S-day to have a sweet treat. I told him, no, if I eat it, it will be a fail. He just said, "aw, you don't wanna fail!" And that little bit of encouragement firmed my resolve to hold the line. It was okay. And I knew S-day was in just a few short hours, so I could delay. No one else even noticed that I didn't partake.

Good news on the scale this morning, so I'm happy about that. Lots of fluctuations, but moving in the right direction. Slow and steady. Perfect. And because I hope to keep it moving that way, I'll be mindful today. Lots of social events will make it a bit challenging, but I think I can be moderate, enjoy, and move forward.

Hello!

I wasn't on the boards for a while but really enjoyed catching up on your thread. I love your attitude.

Doing really well!