Page 9 of 12

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 8:04 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Wednesday SUCCESS

Today I went into a couple of larger shops that I don't often go into. One was a garden centre, with a gift shop area, which was filled to the gunwales with shiny, sparkly, colourful, things for Xmas - including 50% off items, and 3 for 2 offers........... I found myself almost traumatised by the sheer quantity of what was on offer. I ended up buying a little bird-feeder to put in the garden. It was like I had to buy SOMETHING.

Later I went into a clothes store and looked for some jeans ........ I didn't end up buying anything because the sales assistants didn't seem interested in serving, and I decided not to give them my business! But, again, there was LOADS of shiny, sparkly, colourful things for Xmas which attracted my attention. At one point I picked up a pair of 'fox' bedsocks in a box, thinking they'd be nice for my daughter-in-law - until I thought "What are you DOING?!"

What struck me was that I have a real kind of 'overload' problem when faced with an abundance of things (especially shiny, sparkly, colourful things!) - hard to resist them. Of course, that's what the marketing people want! But, it occurred to me that it's a similar feeling that I get when faced with something like an open tin of Quality Street - shiny, sparkly, colourful things - in abundance!

I also received a gift card from my work - for a coffee shop - and I went today and bought some ground coffee - which was OK, but I had to go and use the gift card today - it felt inconceivable to hang onto it for a few days, weeks, months.

So - a bit like a child - I want things when I see them. The delayed gratification that I am learning with No S is gradually getting easier - I can wait until Saturday for my chocolate most of the time. But the urge to splurge feels very near the surface when in those kind of environments which are also designed to make me want to splurge!

Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 6:54 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Friday SUCCESS

with moderate treats lined up for the weekend 8)

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:29 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Monday FAILURE

I felt so hungry after work today - mid-morning, and had an orange with some peanuts. That then led onto some cookies with coffee before lunch. And nibbling on peanuts later in the day too! It felt like a chaotic day food-wise, not really sure why. I had lunch with a friend, perhaps I wonder if I felt unsure about what food I was going to be offered, like anxiety about not being in control of my next meal? Oh well! It wasn't a huge amount of extra food, just irregular eating - snacks, seconds.

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:29 am
by kaalii
seems like monday was a hungry day for more of us!
i definitely have that relationship between more sweets or carbs and hunger... more precisely - the more high glycemic food the more my hunger kicks in and is less controlable... :wink:

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 6:52 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Tuesday SUCCESS

phew! :P

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 8:50 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Wednesday FAILURE

I was hungry today - but stuck to my three meals. My dinner was kind of disappointing - and I ended up going back and finishing off a bag of plain tacos - so it was kind of 'seconds' really. That's three red days for November already - what IS going on with me? I think part of it is (a) not paying enough attention to food preparation and cooking - I've had some disappointing meals and (b) not being able to eat enough at each meal to keep me going - and therefore feeling more 'hungry'. For example, at lunch today, I couldn't eat the apple I'd packed - I felt 'full'.

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 6:04 am
by RAWCOOKIE
Thursday SUCCESS

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 8:12 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Friday SUCCESS

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 12:29 pm
by osoniye
Hope you're having some enjoyable treats over the weekend!

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 6:45 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Hiya Sonja! Yes, thanks - I enjoyed an almond croissant with coffee on Saturday morning as I travelled on the bus to Park Run (a 5k run).

My weekend treats were crisps, chocolate, shortbread, flapjack................... but I ate them instead of, not as well as, meals. I stopped snacking after lunch on Sunday.

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2016 8:52 am
by RAWCOOKIE
Well, I've started the week with two FAILURES

and whilst I'm a bit disappointed about my transgressions, I also feel happy that these reds are really, really small events. On Monday, I started coughing a bit, so I bought a bag of cough-sweets 'in case' I got a tickly throat on the bus. But whilst at work, I found myself going back to the bag even when I didn't have a tickly throat - treating them like sweets (candies).

On Tuesday, I finished off those cough-sweets (only about four, but still............) and then at evening class, someone brought in a bar of really nice chocolate - I decided to enjoy my share!

I think this is the :oops: pinkest month I've had since starting No S, but, as I said, the eating events were minor really. Still - it's off-habit and that's red in my book!

PS I am not ill enough to call it a yellow :wink:

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 1:22 pm
by moderatemeals
Hi RAWCOOKIE -
I've been reading some of your posts and wondered how long it took you to get to your goal weight? It looks like you've had a lot of success and I wondered what is the biggest thing do you think that has contributed to it?

Thanks!
moderatemeals

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 7:06 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
The first thing was getting rid of snacking. I used to eat three meals, and at least three snacks a day. I managed to cut the snacks out within two weeks of starting No S. It was easier than I anticipated.

The second thing was probably lowering the fat content of my meals - I eat a mainly plant-based diet, and have cut down enormously on the amount of fat/oil I use.

The third thing was getting a 9" plate - to control my portion-sizes.

Most of all - it has been sticking to the No S habit, enjoying treats at weekends, and just keeping going, trusting the process: the N day habits DO start to spill over into the weekends.

I hope that helps!

Wednesday and Thursday have been SUCCESS

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2016 3:01 am
by Merry
Keep on keepin' on, Raw Cookie!

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2016 6:59 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thanks Merry!

Friday SUCCESS

and 'treats' planned and purchased for Saturday and Sunday - both long work-shift days. I'm planning my extras to go with my meals now, instead of being in-between meals. Wish me luck!

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2016 11:21 pm
by moderatemeals
Thanks RAWCOOKIE for your comments! I think snacking is my problem...actually I know it is. Sadly I don't know how many times I even eat for hunger...mainly it is for other reasons!

Love your posts and thanks for your comments! Very helpfuL!

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2016 1:26 pm
by osoniye
I love the way you plan special treats even when S days are on work days for you!

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2016 8:22 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thanks Sonja - it's mostly because I have to get my shopping done before my working weekends - not many opportunities come my way to eat randomly/spontaneously at work. This weekend just gone, I did run out of 'treats' by Sunday evening at work - and really wished I had some cookies. Lesson learnt - I'll get extra cookies to take with me next time!

Monday SUCCESS

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 6:29 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Tuesday SUCCESS

phew! today was a 'fence around the law/habit' kind of day; I had my granola, berries & almond milk at 6.20am before work - then just HAD TO eat my lunch at 11am! I was worried that I would be starving later in the day, but I wasn't! I had a hot chocolate drink mid-afternoon (just cocoa powder, almond milk, nutmeg, water) which satisfied my stomach. I ate my dinner as planned at about 6pm.

8)

knowing that I've got several blushing red faces on my habitcal helped me stay strong and not go for a mid-afternoon snack! I did actually have a single-serving bag of spicy Doritos I really fancied - so I had them with my veggie/bean stew for dinner (on the same plate).

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2016 8:04 am
by ModBod
Well done for powering through your Tuesday and keeping it GREEN!!

i feel similar to you - the first part of Nov is a little redder than I would have liked, so am DETERMINED to get a green week! Nearly there!!!

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2016 9:16 am
by RAWCOOKIE
Thanks!

Wednesday (god, is it still only Wednesday!) SUCCESS

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2016 9:28 am
by kaalii
RAWCOOKIE wrote:
knowing that I've got several blushing red faces on my habitcal helped me stay strong and not go for a mid-afternoon snack! .
im motivated by my reds this months, too... :D

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2016 12:14 pm
by eschano
Hi rawcookie, hope you are doing well!

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2016 5:58 am
by RAWCOOKIE
Thursday SUCCESS

Thursday was a new experience for me on No S: at work I wasn't hungry enough to want to eat my bean chilli at 6pm, so I didn't eat it. At 6.45pm I had to go out food shopping with someone (this is part of my work - supporting adults with learning disabilities) - so I ate the square of protein 'flapjack' I'd packed, and the bread roll (as I walked along!).

When I got back from this outing, it was 8.30pm and I had to go straight to the next task at work, so didn't get to stop until 9pm. Then I realised I was (a) not hungry (b) it was too late to eat. So I just had a drink (hot chocolate).

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2016 8:23 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Friday FAILURE

Well, looks like the deficits of Thursday ended up biting me on the bum on Friday! I got really hungry mid-afternoon, and ate a Twix and a Bounty Bar from the corner shop! (I never usually do that!!!!) - then for 'dinner' I included an individual cheesecake and some cookies. :wink:

off to bed with a cold that has decided to break out........... blergh! I blame the moon!

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 6:06 pm
by bunsofaluminum
Hey Cookie...I hope you're feeling better. It's not fun getting sick at this time of year. Seems there was something in the air, because I had many struggles with impulsive, emotional eating myself.

but you'll get it back together. Thanksgiving is over, N days will resume. You'll be fine :)

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 7:54 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thanks - I can't blame it on Thanksgiving, as I'm in the UK and we don't have Thanksgiving Day!

I had a very snacks/sweets/seconds Saturday - I had a second serving of toast with peanut butter and marmalade for breakfast, I had a bar of chocolate after running a 5k Park Run this morning, Doritos with my cheese-on-toast for lunch, cheesecake with my chilli & potato oven-fries this evening.
But it's an S day, so I'm fine!

Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 10:28 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Monday SUCCESS

sane day :D

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 7:41 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Tuesday SUCCESS

I've started to face the prospect of being invited to food-orientated social pre-Xmas events - and went back and read how I got on last year - it was helpful to read that. It wasn't a breeze last year, but it was OK.

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 7:28 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Wednesday BIRTHDAY SPECIAL DAY!

No breakfast.
Italian orange cake (plain sponge with orange juice in it) & coffee with a friend this morning
cucumber sandwich, a few nuts for lunch
chocolate profiteroles (very gooey), flapjack & tea with a friend this afternoon
lentil & carrot soup for dinner

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 7:40 pm
by kaalii
:) haaapyy birthday, rawcookie!!!!! :)

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 9:20 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thank you!

Thursday SUCCESS

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 6:10 am
by Merry
Oooh, Happy Belated Birthday!

I'm trying to catch up some on my reading. Hope you had a great day!

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 7:26 am
by Amy3010
Happy Birthday! :D

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 10:19 am
by Traci0829
Happy Birthday!!! Food freedom is a wonderful gift !

Your success here is inspiring!

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 3:09 pm
by bunsofaluminum
Oh yay! happy Birthday!

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 4:16 pm
by Jen1974
Happy Birthday!!

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 5:35 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thank you all! I had a great birthday. Today I went out for a belated birthday lunch with a friend. Had a great main course - one plate, but then caved in and had a dessert. Feel a bit annoyed with myself as it wasn't planned, and I didn't even really WANT it!

FAILURE

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 1:25 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Monday SUCCESS

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 5:50 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Tuesday & Wednesday SUCCESS

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2016 8:05 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thursday and Friday SUCCESS

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 8:53 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Monday SUCCESS

I am so grateful to have the No S habit to steer me through the next couple of weeks up to Xmas - because it's just getting crazy with a mountain of sweet things wherever you look!

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 10:06 pm
by kaalii
excellent rawcookie! great to see you back on track lining up those greens in this month of temptations! :)

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:41 pm
by bunsofaluminum
RAWCOOKIE wrote:Monday SUCCESS

I am so grateful to have the No S habit to steer me through the next couple of weeks up to Xmas - because it's just getting crazy with a mountain of sweet things wherever you look!
I'm with you. I've found having the No S habit firmly established is helping me a lot. I've stumbled a few times, but each time only once and then back to normal. It's wonderful knowing I can turn down treats, don't have to nibble while visiting with friends, can eat one plate of yummy food and then stop. It's lovely!

Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2016 6:10 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thanks! I went back to work today after being on leave for a couple of weeks and the place looked like they'd had a party the night before - already open boxes and packets of 'food' all over the place. I'm not going to 'the xmas dinner' (a) I can't afford it and (b) I don't want extra xmas dinners - I'm looking forward to my own Xmas dinner - on 25th!

Tuesday SUCCESS

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 9:17 am
by RAWCOOKIE
Wednesday and Thursday SUCCESS

Not without it's challenges - but I stayed on habit! Today I have to support someone at a Xmas party (12-3pm) - so I'm taking my own food/lunch = bean pate, oatcakes, carrot and pepper sticks, banana, clemantine. The plan is to keep my hands filled with something. I'm going to observe how easy it is to not eat any of the party food - no-one really cares what I eat or don't eat.

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 6:00 pm
by bunsofaluminum
Looks like you're doing great with the multiple temptations surrounding you, and taking your own food is a TERRIFIC idea! you're right about no one really caring what you eat ;) keep it up!

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:15 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Yes, thanks - I'm pleased with how I've done so far. It was fine to have my own food today - I didn't go anywhere near the buffet table. I had two big mugs of tea to keep my hands and mouth occupied!

Friday SUCCESS

I AM pleased that there's a Sweekend coming up - This week I have bought more nutritious, natural treats (raw bars, fruit & nuts with just a FEW chocolate drops/buttons mixed in) - instead of crisps/chips, cookies, chocolate. I also plan to eat these treats WITH my meals - not in-between. I find I do better if I stay off the 'snacking' behaviour completely.

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 12:54 am
by MaggieMae
Just dropped by to say you're doing great, raw cookie! Your green days inspire me! :)

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 10:43 am
by RAWCOOKIE
Thanks, Maggie.

On Saturday, I did dip my hands into the tub of chocolates that were for 'staff' on the top of the kitchen cabinet! I might be 62, but I can still climb up on that counter!

However, it was a Saturday - so not a disaster. I didn't really enjoy them much. I also noticed that it spoiled my appetite for my packed tea - which I didn't like! Work again today - an over-nighter - so I'll see what happens. I'm intending to NOT have any of those chocolates today. I might buy myself a savoury snack to take to work with me as an 'extra' to provide a barrier between me and the sweets. I wonder if that will work - it's all a big experiment - but the results are getting more and more encouraging!

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 4:56 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
My plan worked - on Sunday I managed to avoid the chocolates. I did have a couple of savoury snacks as well as my meals, also some nuts & raisins, and an almond protein ball - so I ate quite a bit, but not 'over-eating' and not random chocolates/sweets. I felt pleased that I was able to avoid the Xmas chocolates and cookies.

Monday SUCCESS

I went to a friend's house this afternoon and she'd bought some stollen slices from a local bakery - cut one into four pieces to encourage me to have 'just a little' - but I didn't have any. She ate three of the pieces, and asked if I wanted to take the last bit home - I said 'thanks, but no thanks' - her husband would eat it.

She also asked if I'd noticed that she, as well as I, didn't eat any of the mince pies she took to our evening class last Tuesday. I said, yes, I did notice. She asked if I'd lost weight - I said I've lost about 10lb in the past year and a half. She is a healthy weight, and a healthy eater - so it was a supportive dialogue about our weight.

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 7:04 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Tuesday - it's been a tough day. I went and did my food shopping for now until next week - and there is wall-to-wall, floor-to-celing gold, shiny, glittery luxury food items everywhere. It felt hard to focus on my shopping list. Fortunately I don't have the budget to buy extras - so it saves me in some ways! Then I did some Xmas baking - it's all made it into the freezer without even a finger-lick. But, it's been tough! Now I'm venturing out to evening class, where there will probably be more mince-pies/cakes on offer - for me to refuse. I'm half-tempted not to go - to avoid the food thing, but I like my friends too much not to go!

I'm going to post SUCCESS here and hope I don't have to come back and change it!

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 9:44 pm
by nettee
Well done. I succumbed to temptation in the supermarket. I haven't eaten any of it yet but you did much better not to buy it in the first place!

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 11:33 pm
by Traci0829
This is so wonderful! My goal for next year! Christmas donuts with dad and gingerbread houses were too much to resist, but next year I'll be ready!

Keep it up! You are an inspiration!

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2016 7:54 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
I held firm yesterday, resisted the cheese & onion rolls, and the 'posh Jaffa cakes' at evening class. But today, at work, I ate the last 8 Quality Street from the tub, and the last 6 Cheddars (cheesy crackers) left in a packet in the kitchen. Then, on my way home, I bought crisps, which I ate with my tea.

I feel miserable today - no excuse I know, but it got to me today!

Wednesday FAILURE

and NETTEE, I do already have some goodies stashed in the cupboard for Xmas - After Eights, Cherry Brandy Chocolates, 2 small boxes of biscuits (chocolate ginger and cherry shortbread), some poppy-seed crackers (very munchable!) - I haven't totally avoided all Xmas treats - but it will be a WEEKEND!!! Also, made mince pies.

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2016 1:48 pm
by oolala53
At least there's only one more day of anticipating this weekend, although sometimes people who have been very "good" can have a backlash after the pressure is off. I'm a fan of easing up on something, such as having a wider range of foods at meals, maybe things that aren't ideal, just as long as they aren't sweets. (I haven't been following closely; maybe you're already doing that!) Here's to making it through Friday afternoon and evening!

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2016 9:01 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thursday FAILURE

I was on-habit all day, then I supported someone to go shopping in the evening - and I bought a bar of 70% dark chocolate (100g) and ate the lot. When I got home, I finished off the bag of crisps (chips) that I'd been eating for the past two days.

Friday FAILURE

Well, a very small failure really - I accepted a square of dark chocolate from a colleague at work. I recovered by having just dinner when I got home. So, not awful, but still not robustly 'on habit'.

I think I probably did kind of what you suggested, Oolala. I had vegan cheeze on toast for tea, with tomatoes, then a dollop of mayonnaise on top - kind of made it 'rich' enough to feel satisfying enough. I had a cup of hot chocolate afterwards, and am heading for bed. Someone else (on Spark People) commented that maybe I'd reached the limit of my self-discipline/will-power. I think that's probably what you mean by having a 'backlash' after having been very 'good'.

Saturday when I wake up!

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2016 11:28 pm
by kaalii
or maybe it is just a thing of holiday season...
so much temptation and change of rhytm...

im sure you will be back on track in no time! :)

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 5:14 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Yeah, I'm not really bothered by it - just kind of disappointed that I'm still so vulnerable. It is a crazy time of year with SO much temptation - I reached the limit of my strength to resist. Working late shifts doesn't help, for sure.

Xmas Eve - and the good thing is that I went for a 5k run this morning. The less good thing is that I've eaten all 12 of the mince pies I had made - oh well, they're gone now!

Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:02 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Christmas Day is almost over! I feel like I've gained about 10lbs in a day! I haven't eaten much, but I've eaten more than usual - and that feels like a lot.

That was 2 days of eating pastry and sugary things...... I had marked tomorrow as a yellow NSW day, but am changing my mind and making it an N day! There is nothing I need to 'use up' that can't be kept for next weekend.

Phew!

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2016 6:36 am
by Merry
LOL, I'm with you--so glad tomorrow is an N day!

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:31 am
by RAWCOOKIE
Hi Merry! Yes, I had porridge for breakfast this morning - felt very sane. I am visiting a friend this afternoon, and there might (quite probably) be a slice of Xmas Cake on offer - which I will accept (I haven't had any cake so far). But apart from that, it will be a normal day.

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2016 5:42 pm
by bunsofaluminum
heh when I went to bed last night I was SO glad that Monday would be a N day...my goodness me, but all the rich treats...whew!

thank goodness, we can go back to normal now.

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2016 6:46 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
It's just gone 6pm and I've got a cup of decaff coffee to signal to my brain that eating is over for the day! When I went to my friend's house today, she said she'd actually been sick in the night - from eating rich food on Xmas Day. We both reflected that now that we eat mostly healthily most of the time, our bodies can't comfortably handle excess eating any more! I shall be trimming down my Xmas menu plans for 2017!!!!

I took today as a NWS day - I had some Xmas cake at my friend's house. That's all.

Monday SPECIAL DAY

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2016 6:20 am
by Merry
RAWCOOKIE wrote: We both reflected that now that we eat mostly healthily most of the time, our bodies can't comfortably handle excess eating any more!
Sometimes I wonder if it's not so much that my body can't handle it, but that I felt awful most of the time when I ate too much food/too much sugar most of the time, and I just didn't make the connection. It felt normal to not feel that great.

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:58 am
by oolala53
Feeling cruddy was my major motivation to reduce my overeating seven years ago. But like Gill, I can feel almost as bad with a lot less food. Ironically, I can sometimes eat quite a lot and feel almost as if I've had nothing. Just more evidence that meal routines are probably the best way to counteract depending too much on diets OR our own bodies' signals.

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 2:40 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Yes, I agree - the meal 'habit' has been my best behaviour modification tool - along with the 9" plate!

Tuesday breakfast was fine. Tuesday lunch was fine. Tuesday Dinner was fine. Then in the evening I got through a gap in the 'fence' and had several chocolates from the open boxes that were laying around at work, then discovered some very nice cookies which I also sampled rather generously!
Tuesday was, therefore FAILURE

Today, Wednesday, I'm doing better..... at home, away from the temptations at work. I have two more evenings at work on Thursday and Friday - and am hoping that all the chocolates will have been eaten by others before I get back there!

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 6:33 pm
by oolala53
Not that you asked but any chance you might consider eating more generous meals, with more fat, for now on the days you are exposed to sweets at work? Partly so that you can look back at how great the meals were and look forward to them the next day? That has been shown to help counteract fake hunger.

I've been experimenting with offering myself the chance to have hefty breakfasts to quell any leftover urges to keep eating at night.(Once I break any rule, it seems to make it easier again. I guess that's how serial killers escalate. :evil:)

I rarely actually want those breakfasts when I wake up, but I keep it open that I COULD have them. I don't know if this will stop working as the hefty breakfasts never materialize, but it feels harmless to use, and may be enough to get the habit more solid again, though afternoon is still more of a risk time for me.

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 9:49 am
by RAWCOOKIE
oolala53 wrote:Not that you asked but any chance you might consider eating more generous meals, with more fat, for now on the days you are exposed to sweets at work?
This is more or less what I've done the last couple of days - I agree, it does work.

Wednesday FAILURE - I was fine all day, but popped a bit of dark chocolate and a couple of cookies when I got home after the panto. This was 'deprivation' eating - not having wine or ice-cream in the interval.

Thursday SUCCESS
I bought a bag of 6 small packets of Hula Hoops and had one with my lunch, and two with my dinner at work. This wasn't a great choice of food, but it did keep me to my three meals limit.

I'm repeating this formula today - another long one at work 11.30am to 10pm. I'm looking forward to seeing a new, clean, HabitCal for January! And I will use this December to prepare myself for next Xmas!

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 9:13 pm
by oolala53
What are Hula Hoops?

I think we are cursed with so many options. I marvel that there are people like Reinhard who just fell into the rhythm of No S and seem so impervious to either negative food influences or self-criticism about transgressions. Could he actually be so rational about it that he thinks beforehand, I'll probably have to grapple with regret if I eat that, so I just won't eat it, even though I'd like it?

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2016 8:23 pm
by oolala53
I just got an email from Linda Spangle in which there was reference to a calendar that looked A LOT like habitcal, with green, yellow, and red stickers!

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2017 9:49 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Hula Hoops are re-formed fried salted potato snacks - made into ring-shapes you can stick them on your finger - very appealing!

Yes, the 'dot calendar' is along the same lines as HabitCal.

Monday SUCCESS

it was a TOUGH day for me at work, but I managed to stick to my plan. I left work at 6pm, I think if I'd had to stay later it might have been harder for me to continue to resist the left-over chocolates and cookies that are still around! But I DID IT! and I'm so pleased about that!

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2017 11:29 pm
by oolala53
Bust that neuropattern!

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 7:44 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thanks Oolala! Doing my damndest!

Tuesday SUCCESS
chewed my elbow off resisting the chocolates which were sleeping in the same room as me at work on Tuesday night!

Wednesday SUCCESS
easy today - easy! (oh, dear, I shouldn't brag - it almost always causes a stumble - but NOT THIS TIME, right?!)

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 4:29 am
by osoniye
Right... Not. This. Time.

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 5:45 am
by Amy3010
Gotta love those days where it just comes easy, though, right? Have a good one today!

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 1:40 pm
by oolala53
Assume it's a reward for holding out when it's really really hard.

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 7:39 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
:lol:
nice comments ladies - love you!

Thursday SUCCESS

Now this day could have gone seriously askew because it began with me over-sleeping, and having to leave for work in 20 mins flat. I grabbed a coffee in a carry-cup, slapped some peanut butter on some bread, chucked an apple and a banana in my bag, followed by a packed of seeded oatcakes. That did me for breakfast AND lunch!

Dinner tonight was heavenly - a yummy vegetable and chick-pea 'curry' with a load of cabbage. I had some potato in my curry and didn't have rice.

I don't often post about weight here - it's not what it's about for me really - but I was really happy to see 8stone 0.75lbs (112.75lbs) on the scale this morning! Given than I went up to 116 after the Xmas food, I'm really, really, really, REALLY delighted!
:D

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:02 pm
by oolala53
Would you remind me how tall you are, Gill!

I still sometimes have to get over compensatory impulses to eat later when I have what I call snacky meals. But the more it happens, the more I see it's all just habit. But nice meals is a habit I like!

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 5:14 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
I am 5'3"

Friday FAILURE
I ate biscuits (cookies) at work in the afternoon - started with two, then carried on until I'd eaten about 12 of them!
That was a shame (in my opinion), but the good thing was that I moved forward without punishing myself, or continuing to eat off-plan. I had my planned dinner.

Saturday - biscuits crept into today as well, and I know it's an S day, so I'm not stressing about it, but I'd like not to be so 'hooked' into the crunchy, addictive nature of the sugar/fat/wheat combo of biscuits.

I am considering how I can stop being susceptible to this - I guess I can't change the susceptibility, but can only reduce the exposure to it - not buy packets, not accept packets - if I have a biscuit, perhaps it can be controlled by only buying single 'cookies', or single-serving packs. I know that banning foods is ineffective as it tends to create deprivation and desire for the banned food.

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 7:15 pm
by bunsofaluminum
RAWCOOKIE wrote:I am 5'3"

Friday FAILURE
I ate biscuits (cookies) at work in the afternoon - started with two, then carried on until I'd eaten about 12 of them!
That was a shame (in my opinion), but the good thing was that I moved forward without punishing myself, or continuing to eat off-plan. I had my planned dinner.

Saturday - biscuits crept into today as well, and I know it's an S day, so I'm not stressing about it, but I'd like not to be so 'hooked' into the crunchy, addictive nature of the sugar/fat/wheat combo of biscuits.

I am considering how I can stop being susceptible to this - I guess I can't change the susceptibility, but can only reduce the exposure to it - not buy packets, not accept packets - if I have a biscuit, perhaps it can be controlled by only buying single 'cookies', or single-serving packs. I know that banning foods is ineffective as it tends to create deprivation and desire for the banned food.
so good that you didn't punish yourself or let it completely derail your day!

As for resisting, someone advised me once, when I was triggered/bingeing on Reese's miniatures. I love those things! well, what I was told was "You know what they taste like. You don't have to try them"

That has worked more than once when a craving has been on me. And in fact, when I have had the occasional Reese's miniature, it hasn't turned into a feeding frenzy. Just one or two...yummy...now I know what they taste like. Don't need any more.

hope that helps...meanwhile, you ARE doing well. Just keep that in mind.

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 12:02 am
by oolala53
This is a tough one. Even after all these years, there are some foods I have decided not to have on hand. I might have them in social situations as part of a meal. I have too many fond associations of eating a lot of them at a time, even though I don't "need" more of the taste. I WANT more of the taste and the experience. Boxes of cheese crackers, packages of pretzels, and jars of peanut butter come to mind.

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 2:11 am
by bunsofaluminum
Oh I have that trouble with potato chips. I prefer not to have them around but if my BF buys them, I can't even have one or I eat them all...so I guess we all have something...or things heh

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 6:15 am
by Merry
RAWCOOKIE wrote:
Tuesday SUCCESS
chewed my elbow off resisting the chocolates which were sleeping in the same room as me at work on Tuesday night!
So sorry to hear about the loss of your elbow :lol:

Great job!

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 6:16 am
by Merry
RAWCOOKIE wrote: I don't often post about weight here - it's not what it's about for me really - but I was really happy to see 8stone 0.75lbs (112.75lbs) on the scale this morning! Given than I went up to 116 after the Xmas food, I'm really, really, really, REALLY delighted!
:D
Sweet!

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 6:18 am
by Merry
bunsofaluminum wrote:Oh I have that trouble with potato chips. I prefer not to have them around but if my BF buys them, I can't even have one or I eat them all...so I guess we all have something...or things heh
Yeah...definitely can't buy potato chips here either!

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 8:13 am
by Amy3010
Good job on not letting a few biscuits derail you from the rest of your day. I have some problem foods like that, too. Just better to get in the habit of not buying them and not having them around.

I do Yoga with Adriene, too! Are you doing her Revolution series this month?

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 9:16 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Wise words - thank you all, my dear No S friends! I know that for the most part, No S works for me and I can stay 'on habit'. These substances that have (as Oolala has said before I'm sure) established neural reward pathways in the brain - it's so hard to resist it. Cold turkey is the only way to break the reward circuit - but cold turkey is also very hard!

Currently I am thinking of focussing on making my own cookies which are sugar-free (ie applesauce or banana sweetened) - so I can have cookies at the Sweekends which don't, maybe, 'reward' my brain in the same way as commercially baked ones (ie sugar-laden).

Earlier in my No S journey it was crisps/potato chips, ice-cream, cakes and sweets/candies that were more likely to 'get' me. I seem to be over those - and it's mostly biscuits/cookies that 'get' me now. I have many more green days than red or yellow days on my HabitCal - so I'm not in crisis over this - but I do want to find a way to re-educate my brain so it doesn't crave cookies.

I saw some research that showed that if people imagined eating [a chocolate] 30 times, their post-experiment consumption of chocolate was reduced by 38%. Hmm...... how practical is that as a tactic? Not very. But it is, I guess similar to what BUNS said about already knowing what a Reece's tastes like - if you remember that you know what it tastes like, you don't need to eat more.......I think you still need quite a bit of will-power (or strong habit).

Monday FAILURE - I ate the last four cookies. Done? I hope so! Maybe if I make the weekend a special cookie event, I can postpone until the weekend?....... looking for tricks!

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:00 am
by Amy3010
Probably if you made your own less sweet biscuits to have on the weekends, you'd retrain your palate to prefer them, and then the packaged biscuits would taste too sweet to you after a while. Might be worth a try!

I haven't done all the Revolution videos, I've just been doing the one for the day on the days I do yoga. I like it that they are all 30 minutes long - I found it harder for some reason in previous challenges that the times varied a lot.

I had a red day yesterday too - let's get green together today!

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 7:07 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Yes, I think you're right - I'm going to try it!

Tuesday FAILURE (sort of)

Today didn't really feel like a failure, but technically, it was: I had breakfast at 5.30am because I had to leave the house at 6am to go to work. I ate lunch at 11am because I had a midday meeting to attend and didn't want to be hungry. I got home at 2.30pm and went for a 30 min run - got back and felt REALLY hungry. I chose to eat a handful of plain, unsalted nuts (hazels, brazils, almonds, peanuts) and have a cup of tea.

This was BETTER by far than having anything sweet or carb-laden. I knew it was a 'snack' but I really DID need it, and it was too early for dinner.

I had my dinner at 6pm, and am fine. It's the first time I've felt the NEED for a snack for a very long time and was entirely due to timing. If I'd hung on until after the meeting, it'd have been 1.30pm and 8 hrs since breakfast - too long a break (especially at work).

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:08 am
by oolala53
That was tricky. Only thing I think may have been an option was a nut milk or such in the afternoon and an early dinner. Or an extra hefty lunch?

But past is past.

Might you have access to a book by Pam Peeke? I seem to remember her recommending certain foods or combinations as replacements that sounded rather plausible.

But what I call particle foods (made from flour) are difficult, I think. I'm surprised so many No Sers don't seem to have more trouble with them. After my troubles with really refined ones last spring and summer, and then some during the holiday, I find myself being even more willing to keep them from being defaults, though the ground whole grain ones are still rather attractive.

In my own case, I believe it's not just a food thing, so I'm not sure the perfect replacement is out there.

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 2:01 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
You're right - I could have had a 'rich' drink after my run - somehow the need to EAT something took over and I wasn't thinking straight. Thanks for that - seems obvious now, but I'll remember it!

Pam Peeke - no, not heard of her. I agree with you about 'particle' foods. It's the behavioural-reward connection that sugar/refined carbs gives that it the circle that's so hard to break I think. We know that those foods will give us a brain-experience of 'pleasure'!!

Wednesday was a SUCCESS!

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 5:57 am
by Merry
I think you made a good choice in the circumstance, I wouldn't sweat that at all. Not like it's a new daily pattern :-).

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 1:53 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
I agree, I'm not sweating about it! I might look into preparing post-run smoothies or something - when I do an hour's run, I DO feel hungry afterwards.

Thursday was a SUCCESSFUL DAY

Today, Friday - it's a friend's birthday party this afternoon 3-6pm, so a kind of 'tea party'. She is 68, has had a close-to-death year of acute illness which she's come through - a select bunch of people invited - and I am totally going to join in with whatever's arranged! This is Special!

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2017 7:05 am
by Merry
RAWCOOKIE wrote:I agree, I'm not sweating about it! I might look into preparing post-run smoothies or something - when I do an hour's run, I DO feel hungry afterwards.

Thursday was a SUCCESSFUL DAY

Today, Friday - it's a friend's birthday party this afternoon 3-6pm, so a kind of 'tea party'. She is 68, has had a close-to-death year of acute illness which she's come through - a select bunch of people invited - and I am totally going to join in with whatever's arranged! This is Special!
Special indeed, enjoy your friend and the celebration!

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2017 5:26 pm
by oolala53
REad a guy recently who posits that it's not just the reward circuit but that the foods are so darn cheap and available. We don't power through other palatable foods that are really expensive or take a lot of preparation. He says people find prime rib pretty palatable, but they don't usually go overboard on it. It takes only a few minutes and not a lot of money to buy enough manufactured carbs to do us in.
If I had to grind my own flour, refine my own sugar, and bake all sweets myself, it wouldn't matter so much that they are rewarding! It would just be too much trouble! And I'm not likely to eat the equivalent calories in non binge foods I cooked myself.

Or expense can hold me back. Hey, what's the vegan version of prime rib, do you think? In my case, it would be cashews or macadamia nuts. Or cooked mushrooms.

But it can take a long time to buy fewer and fewer of those wonderful packaged foods.

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2017 8:45 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Well, there's some truth in that - but I can pass up on available fresh food. Today I chose cookies over apples - both were on offer - so that wasn't about expense.

Monday FAILURE

I had been at work for 20 hrs, then went to a cafe for an hour's break before the team meeting. I chose to have a slice of vegan chocolate & banana cake with my coffee. I ate my packed lunch on the way home at 2pm, then accepted some toast and hummus at a friend's house this afternoon, then a few Liebekuchen cookies. I decided to have cheese on toast for my dinner - then a fruit yoghurt. So - not a HUGE amount of actual food, but I was definitely off-habit today. It felt like a choice. I am tired - heading for an early night!

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 12:05 pm
by oolala53
Seems ironic because Monday was a holiday in the US; maybe you were subconsciously celebrating with us. :wink:

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 5:44 pm
by kaalii
wow, 20h at work!
id surely have a red day, too...
have a good rest, rawcookie, and sleep well! :)

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 7:03 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
Thanks, I had a good sleep. Went for a lovely run this morning, and have had a sane day eating proper food (home cooked and wholesome!). I'm off to evening class next - which is always fun. Then another good sleep I hope - early start for work tomorrow.

Tuesday SUCCESS


Interestingly, I did 'indulge' in filling my on-line grocery shopping basket with supplies for February - the virtual basket is now saved until pay-day - but the activity kind of plugged a 'treat' gap in my quiet day.

I also had 'dessert' after lunch and after dinner. Really small stuff and no 'sugar'. after lunch it was about a third of a cup of soya and coconut plain yoghurt (no sugar/sweeteners) with half a banana sliced into it; after dinner it was an apple, sliced and eaten with a bit of crunchy peanut butter (no salt, no sugar). These little 'puddings' help me feel more satisfied - also provide extra protein in my mainly plant-based diet.