Natj food log

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 3:17 pm

Hi nat!

Yes enjoyment of food is very important. I love that the Japanese guidelines for eating include pleasure "make all activities pertaining to food and eating pleasurable activities". This is something we tend to lose sight of in other countries. Eating is suppose to be pleasurable. That is one way nature assures our continued survival.

In fact we may actually absorb less nutrition when eating foods we don't enjoy. Here's a great article discussing a study about that as well as eating with pleasure in mind:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/20/opini ... .html?_r=0

I definitely try to eat healthy but only if I enjoy it and if there's something I really crave, I figure my body is trying to tell me something so I listen!

Anyway, I hope you find a way to get a bit more enjoyment from your meals!

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:31 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Barbara's puffins cereal with milk

L- 8 oysters on the half shell; chicken noodle soup

D- 3.5 pieces of pizza; ice cream (FAIL)

The ice cream was a planned fail, but I overate on the pizza in anticipation, I think. Ugh.

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 1/2 cup yogurt with fruit and a spoonful of granola; sausage; muffin top

1 hour and 25 min walk

L/D- 1/2 saganaki; 1/2 patty melt; 5 bites of coleslaw

Snack: sunflower seeds

Linda, LOVE that article! I have been struggling with this concept since I've been limited my food and food choices to lose weight. I certainly don't want to eat junk food for every meal, but it's more about listening to my body and determining what "sounds good" if I can. Appreciate your thoughts and thanks for the article. It articulated my thoughts better than I could!

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 12:17 am

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 2 organic eggs; 1 piece ezekiel toast with butter

kettlebell workout and 20 min walk

L- Ham sandwich on a pretzel roll; chips

Snack/Dinner: 2 pieces of home made zucchini chocolate chip bread (made low"er" carb version); sunflower seeds

Hot tea with a teaspoon of honey

During my first two meals, I left about 10% of the food on my plate. I would like to try and continue to do this because it's forcing me to really listen to my body to determine if it's full.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 6:03 am

I do not know how you can leave food on the plate! I used to all the time but with NoS I feel like this is all I get till the next meal so I want all of it!

But if you're finding it helpful, that's awesome. I do like how you're experimenting to get the most from your NoS experience.

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 2:00 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Barbara's puffins with milk (left 10%)

L- BLT with chips (left 25%)

D- 2 slices pizza with green salad; low carb iced coffee (left 25%)

Left food on my plate for all three meals.

Linda, I totally understand! I actually feel the need to eat every bite when I control the actual type of food I eat. I basically ate my "healthy" food so fast because it was something "I got" to have rather than eat because I truly enjoyed it. So, I'm giving this a shot to see if it works.

I was especially surprised by my lunch and dinner meals today. At lunch, I was STARVING. Halfway through the meal, I stopped eating for about 10 mins to slow myself down, but after waiting, I still felt hungry. About 50% into the second half, my stomach finally triggered "full". Interesting.

At dinner, I was surprised that only 1.5 pieces of pizza satisfied me. Last Friday, this was the same pizza that I had 3.5 pieces of! I guess that pairing with a salad helped some, but it's more probable that really paying attention to my satiety signals worked to cut down the need to eat more.

One thing I will have to make sure of is that I'm focusing more on the satiety signal rather than how much is left on my plate, as I fear that it could lead me to "craziness"... i.e. feel guilty for eating my entire meal and then eat more, etc. I just think I have to be ok if I do eat all of my meal sometimes.

More to come.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 3:32 am

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I think you have the right attitude. It's about overall satisfaction not deprivation. You're being smart about not turning this into yet another thing to feel guilty about.

Enjoy your experiment!

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 2:25 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- small piece of lower carb chocolate chip zucchini bread (technically could be considered a fail)- left a bite

L- Salad bar salad and fruit- left 20%

iced sugar free coffee with cream (fail?)

D- 1/2 patty melt and coleslaw (left over from weekend); chips- left 20%; 1/2 low cal root beer

It's kinda fun figuring out how much food it will take to satisfy me. We'll see how fun it is on tough/emotional days...

I'm hoping that staying consistent with this rather than jumping around to eating different food "types" will help with my weight. In the meantime, for whatever reason, I feel more in control of my eating/appetite than I have in years.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 2:56 am

Yay that's good news!

Those definitely not fails in my book but that's the beauty of NoS--you decide what's a fail or not and just stick w that. I'm not a huge sweets person so I'm pretty lenient about what's a sweet or not. In fact I ate a breakfast cookie w chocolate chips this morning without giving it a 2nd thought. But eating a little sweets doesn't escalate into eating more sweets for me. For others it might & that's why they might choose to be stricter.

That's a long way of saying do what works for you!:)

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 3:55 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

20 min walk; 28 min kettlebell workout

B- salami sandwich on a pretzel roll (don't ask)- left 10%

L- Polish sausage; sautÃ©ed onions; coleslaw; chips- left 25%

1 beer

1 hour of intense walking

D- salad; 5 bites of spinach artichoke dip; 1/4 chicken breast; a few bites of pasta; vodka tonic; 1/2 glass of wine

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:03 am

N Day

Coffee with cream and sugar

B- yogurt and granola; small danish; plum (left 35%)

L- beef taco with cheese and sour cream; bean burrito with cheese and sour cream; fajita meat; churro (left 20%)

Fail: 1/2 cupcake; single serve bag of pretzels; 2 handfuls of popcorn

D- Two pieces of pizza and 3 twizlers (fail)- ate it all

Crazy day food wise- It seems to happen when I drink more than a glass of wine the day before. Hoping to get back on track tomorrow.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 7:57 pm

I'm sure you'll get back on track soon. Have a great weekend!

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 11:48 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Breakfast sandwich- left 20%

L- Turkey sandwich and chips- left 30%

Leslie Sansome 3 mile walk holding 1 lb weights

D- Chicken sandwich and french fries- left 10%... but then I failed- I ate the rest of my son's hot fudge sundae. Shucks.

Closed out my week of non-compliance with a sundae fail. The good news is that I don't feel compelled to eat anymore this evening. I'm a over the full level, but not that stuffed, so I don't feel so bad. Even more, not doing too much of the WTH eating since I've stopped controlling the type of food I eat (i.e. carbs). So, I guess through all of the fails, I actually see this as progress! Well, here comes the weekend. Suppose I can't fail with S days!

natj · Post by **natj** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 1:48 am

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 1 organic egg; 1 piece of ezekiel toast with butter; sausage patty- left 10%

30 min walk; 28 min kettle bell workout

Snack: 1 tall latte- left 10%

Snack: pretzel croissant- left 10%

D- steak; baked potato with organic butter and sour cream; bok choy- left about 25%; glass of wine

Dessert: 2 Chocolate chip cookies with milk- ate it ALL!

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 12:14 am

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- one egg, pretzel croissant; 1/2 strawberry yogurt with seed and nut mix- left 20%

Leslie Sansome 3 mile walk holding 3 lb weights for first half and 1 lb weights for second half

L- Grilled chicken and various grilled veggies and salads and 1/2 baked potato- left 25%

Snack: 1 chocolate chip cookie with cool whip; 2 handfuls of goldfish; sunflower seeds

D- 1 chocolate chip cookie; low carb coffee- just had a few sips of the coffee but ate all of the cookie! (I think I am officially cookied out... back to N Days tomorrow)

natj · Post by **natj** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 12:12 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar- left 25%

B- Barbara's puffins with milk- left 10%

L- Beef brisket sandwich with pickled onions; grilled corn on the cob- left 50%

D- Hot Dog, chips, small piece of salami sandwich- ate it all

Not feeling so hot today. Migraine and stomach ache. I hope I'm not getting the flu... ugh.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 1:00 am

Oh geez I hope not. Mine seems to be lasting forever.

*fingers crossed*

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:44 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- small salami sandwich- didn't leave any

L- subway turkey sandwich and baked chips- left 15%

sugar-free iced coffee with cream

D- 2 pieces of pizza; 3 breadsticks- didn't leave any (overate, but it all fit on the plate)

Had tummy issues in the morning, but then felt better afterwards. But, then I had some trouble following my body's directions today... but was able to stop a WTH binge after overeating at dinner by waiting for it pass. Am really proud of that since I had been planning all sorts of junk that I was going to eat. I'm sure the "sinful" thoughts were due to a VERY rough day at work and not quite feeling 100%. Hopefully a better day tomorrow, and another opportunity to pay attention to what my body is telling me.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 6:10 pm

Yeah awesome result! I'm always amazed how nos has helped me to curb the wth effect I always had on other diets. I'm guessing it's because I dreaded going back on those super strict unrealistic diets so I'd drag out that binge. but NoS is so normal & enjoyable that there's no motivation not to just jump right back in esp when there's always a meal or S day right around the corner!

You're doing fantastic!

Linda:)

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Sep 25, 2015 12:55 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar - left 20%

B-Barbara's puffins with milk- left 10%

L- Whole foods salad bar- left 10%

D- 2 pieces of pizza; 3 breadsticks; then.... 10 twizzlers; a few pretzels; a blow pop (FAIL)- left 0%

I'm still feeling awful tummy troubles. I have no idea where the sugar craving comes from since I typically crave chocolate or cookie-type sweets. Weird.

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar - left 0%

B-1/2 serving Barbara's puffins with milk; 1/2 serving organic yogurt- left 10%

L- turkey sandwich on a pretzel bagel; potato salad- left 40%

sugar-free iced coffee with cream; 100 calorie pack of almonds (fail)

D- 2 sloppy joes; chips- left 0% (overate)

Again, still not feeling well; the tummy troubles continue. I'm learning that I also seem to overeat when I'm physically not well, not just during emotional times. It's almost as if I try to make myself feel worse, or maybe I'm just mad that I'm sick and then eat because of that? I just don't know. It's annoying that I'm still feeling bad. I think I may have to go to the doctor if it persists longer than a few more days.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Sep 25, 2015 2:48 am

Sorry you're not feeling well still. I know I tend to overeat when im not feeling well in order to try to comfort myself especially if I'm trying to push through my normal day instead of resting up.

Hope you feel better soon!

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Sun Sep 27, 2015 9:33 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 1 large bowl of cereal- left 0%

L- Salami sandwich on a 1/2 pretzel roll; a few grapes- left 0%

D- steak; baked potato; salad from salad bar; bloody mary- left 60%

S Day

Coffee with cream and sugar

B- turkey sandwich- left 50%

L- Glass of wine; cheese plate; spinach and artichoke dip with garlic toasts- split with friends, so hard to determine if I ate less than usual

D- grilled chicken; 1 dolmati; broiled potatoes; asparagus- left 25%

Dessert: 1 serving Pot de creme; 1/2 small slice of pumpkin cheesecake

S Day

Coffee with cream and sugar

B- 1 piece of toast with butter

L- Chicken sandwich; a couple of french fries; a couple of cheese curds; soda- left 50%

Snack: 1/2 bag of M&M's

D- 3.5 pieces of pizza; ice cream sundae

I didn't have the stomach cramping for a few days; but it seems to be back again. We just got back from traveling for the weekend to see relatives, and I wonder if some of the food I've been eating (including alcohol) is contributing to this. All I know is that it's hard for me to listen to my body while I'm feeling this way. I will tough it out for a few more days, since I don't seem to have any other symptoms such as fever, etc.

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Sep 28, 2015 5:53 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar- left 10%

B- PB and jelly sandwich; single-serving bag of Sun Chips; fresh peach- ate it all

L- subway Turkey 6' sandwich; single-serving bag of baked chips- ate it all

Fail: Candy

D- Ravioli with garlic bread... another fail- took seconds; more candy and an ice cream bar

So frustrated. For the past week and a half, I have been eating willy nilly, not listening to my body. I feel out of control and just want to not worry about this anymore. Having a really tough time of things today. At least I feel better physically and will keep trucking on...

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 4:05 am

*hugs* sorry

Do you think you're attempts to leave something on your plate might be backfiring ? It seems like that would take a lot of will power & cause one to rebel. Maybe?

Just a thought but hope things get better.

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Sep 30, 2015 12:34 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- organic pb on a piece of ezekiel toast; fresh peach- left 20%

L- chicken soup; salad; vanilla latte- left 25%

D- Tomato Basil mozzarella burgers; 1 piece of buttered toast; green salad; cup of warm milk with honey- left 10%

Much better day today. I think that I'm finally over this stomach bug I had- now I'm understanding why sick days are also considered S days. I was completely unable to listen and trust my body to stop when my appetite was satisfied.

Linda, I think I was getting frustrated because I couldn't hear my body's signals while I was sick. Then I would try and purposely leave food on my plate because I had been able to before, but it was more of an arbitrary thing, rather than leaving it on my plate because I was satisfied. It could have also been because of the food I was eating too- lots of processed junk...

Anyway, I seem to be having a better day, and for that I am grateful.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Sep 30, 2015 5:08 am

That does make sense. Glad you're getting back on track. Me too--yay!

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Sep 30, 2015 11:38 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Egg in a basket; organic yogurt- left 20%

28 min kettle bell workout; 20 min walk

L- Veggie burger on a sandwich thin; single serve bag of chips; sugar free mocha- left 10%

D- porkchop; cheesy hasbrown casserole- left 10%

Tea with a splash of milk and a spoonful of honey

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 1:35 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Barbara's puffins with organic milk- left 0%

L- Club sandwich and chips- left 0%

D- chicken nuggets and french fries- left 0%

Tea with a splash of milk and honey

Was overfull at lunch, but still green, as it all fit on one plate. I let myself push boundaries today, as I could not hear my body tell me when it was full. Oh well, I guess some days will be like this. I've decided that this is what I hope to master while being on No S. It has already helped provide some boundaries, now the rest is up to me. Until I have compliance around listening to my body most of the time, I will always worry about what and how much I eat... and I'm sick of living like that. Here's to trying again tomorrow.

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 11:57 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- egg and cheese sandwich- left 10%

L- Roast beef sandwich on a pretzel roll; potato and bacon soup; iced tea- left 40%

Hot mocha- left 10%

D- Italian sausage sandwich; hash brown casserole- left 10%

I definitely listened to my body and discovered that listening meant allowing myself to have a hot beverage between lunch and dinner today. I truly enjoyed it and tried not to worry about the calories in the drink and not to worry that I "shouldn't" have another hot beverage after dinner to try and offset this snack in between meals. Ironically, listening actually helped me since I was able to thoroughly enjoy my dinner and not overeat at dinner like I have so many times before. As of right now, I have no interest in having a hot beverage after dinner either. Again-I have to trust that my body DOES know what it needs, I just have to listen.

ironchef · Post by **ironchef** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 12:35 am

I'm not sure if you are applying an alternative set of rules, but drinks, even caloric ones, are not usually considered snacks on No S. Unless you are drinking sugary soda etc, you're fine. Definitely don't fall into the trap of "paying" for your drink by cutting out a later drink or food - I'm a huge fan of Reinhard's podcast on "Strictness" on this topic.

natj · Post by **natj** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:23 am

S Day

B- pancakes; eggs; bacon; coffee with cream and sugar- left 40%

Snack: 8 sugar wafers

28 min kettle bell workout; 20 min walk

L- piece of Italian sausage and hash brown casserole; home-made fruit loops treat- ate it all

Snack: single-serve pack of Cheez-it's; small bowl of cheese popcorn

D- small bowl of mac n cheese

Ate dinner just because... Had some sweets and snacks but overall not too bad. Didn't exactly listen to my body carefully today, but that's ok.

Iron, thanks for the tip. I will no longer feel guilty.

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 1:20 am

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 2 organic eggs; piece of toast with butter- left 0%

3 mile walk holding 1lb weights

L- pork roast; mashed potatoes; corn; salad; breadstick- left 10%

Snack: fruit loop treat; 8 sugar wafers

D- chips and guac

Snack: 7 sugar wafers

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Oct 07, 2015 11:49 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B-2 organic eggs with a piece of dark rye toast

20 min walk; 28 min kettle bell workout

L- Lentil and roasted vegetable salad

Homemade hot mocha- left 50%

D- Chicken noodle soup with french baguette and organic butter

Missed tracking the past few days due to travel. Both days were a FAIL with yesterday being the worst of it. I can't remember how much I ate, but not only did I overeat, but I also ate sweets. Sigh. Today was better and I ate relatively cleaner while my stomach gets back to normal.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 5:24 am

Glad today was better. I had fails this week today too then finally a green day today. Must be something in the air!

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:13 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Yogurt with organic granola- left 10%

L- Jimmy John's turkey sub- ate it all, in a hurry, while driving, on a work call

Glass of wine at a work function

D- 2 organic eggs with toast...2 graham crackers; a few chips; granola bar; pumpkin seeds- FAIL again.

I am so exhausted and stressed from work. My husband has been traveling all week too, so it's been that much more difficult this week. It's no secret why I continue to fail. Need to try and focus finishing out the week on a positive note and make it to the weekend.

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:13 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Yogurt with organic granola- left 10%

L- Jimmy John's turkey sub- ate it all, in a hurry, while driving, on a work call

Glass of wine at a work function

D- 2 organic eggs with toast...2 graham crackers; a few chips; granola bar; pumpkin seeds- FAIL again.

I am so exhausted and stressed from work. My husband has been traveling all week too, so it's been that much more difficult this week. It's no secret why I continue to fail. Need to try and focus finishing out the week on a positive note and make it to the weekend.

natj · Post by **natj** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:20 pm

N Day

B-Coffee with cream and sugar; sausage breakfast sandwich

L- Italian Sub

Snack: (FAIL) Cashews

D- Soup and Salad- left 50%

My back went out at dinner. I can't move and am panicked because my husband is not home yet.

natj · Post by **natj** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:21 pm

N Day

B-Coffee with cream and sugar; sausage breakfast sandwich

L- Italian Sub

Snack: (FAIL) Cashews

D- Soup and Salad- left 50%

My back went out at dinner. I can't move and am panicked because my husband is not home yet.

natj · Post by **natj** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:26 pm

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 1.5 breakfast sandwiches; hash brown

L- 1.5 hot dogs; cashews; cheese popcorn

Snack: Ice cream bar; handful of chocolate covered pomegranate seeds

D- Lean cuisine

Snack: cheetos and a few sips of my husband's soda

Ok, still in a great deal of pain, and went to the emergency room this morning. They don't know what's wrong exactly, but have prescribed several pain meds, etc. I have tried to take them sparingly because they make me feel loopy. In the meantime, I am very depressed, as I am unable to enjoy the lovely fall weekend, and can't get out and exercise. Sigh. Am at a very low point right now, as I can't seem to get momentum back. I have less than 2 mo's before my Hawaii vacation too, and it continues to bum me out that I am in this bad of shape... back-wise and weight wise.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Sun Oct 11, 2015 5:01 am

Hi natj- Sorry to hear about your back problems! I can identify with with that misery, as I've had that type of trouble before. Bear in mind that the pain and meds can make you feel really awful emotionally, and it's easy to lose perspective when you're stuck in bed or on the couch. In all likelihood it's some muscle compensation that is causing the pain in it will resolve in some days, albeit slowly with the meds and rest.
As far as the vacation, it's probably best to work on accepting yourself and that you deserve to have a great exotic vacation even if you are not at the weight/size you would most want to be for it. I have some phots of myself in Thailand some years back where I am looking rather large, and I hate that, but I had a wonderful vacation, and can't let my size at the time thing ruin the memory for me. Of course this is all easier said than done.
I wish you a speedy and full recovery!

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:32 am

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- mini bagel with cream cheese and 2 organic eggs

L- 3 slices of pizza

D- 2 bowls of cereal

Snack: pretzels

Sonya, thanks for the encouragement. I am certainly trying to make peace with the upcoming trip and just concentrate on the time off from work. My back is feeling slightly better today, but I am panicked about returning to work. Ironically I took the day off tomorrow anyway, but I just hope I'm well enough to go in on Tuesday. I don't have any more vacation time left because of the timing when I started my job at the end of last year and because of all the time I've had to save up for the upcoming trip, so I'm hoping I can make it into work and sit in a regular desk chair. Anyway, I am very weepy today and I'm sure it's due to my underlying anger about being laid-up as well as the medication I'm taking. Let's hope that things progress better tomorrow.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:28 am

Oh nat I'm so sorry to hear about your back. Somehow I missed this. I've been dealing with back pain for the last couple of years and I know first hand how awful it is.

The only thing that has really helped my back is exercising--weights, yoga & for some reason bike riding. My gallstones made it worse & so does stress. Ice packs help temporarily and of course the meds.

I know you've hit a low spot but things will get better and if you stick with nos you can make things a lot better. It's a slow process but trust me it's so much better than any possible alternative.

Anyway big hugs & positive thoughts. I hope you're feeling better quickly.

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 10:36 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 1/2 breakfast burrito; 1/2 strawberry cream cheese quesadilla (low carb tortillas)

L- Chipotle bowl with chicken; chips and guac- left 50%

D- 1/2 bacon cheeseburger (removed top part of bun); 1/3 italian sausage- left 10%

Low-carb iced coffee

Linda thanks for dropping by.

I am steadily getting better, but continue to be laid-up on the couch. Ugh- I hate feeling like I can't do anything. Let's hope tomorrow is better. I plan on going to see a chiropractor in the next few weeks once I've healed enough to do basic things.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 11:12 pm

natj, I haven't read all your posts, but jumped down here after seeing some posts on not liking your job. I've had a very hard time as a public school teacher, not an ideal match at all, but I floundered until I was 40 and felt I had to commit to something to make some money. I started No S almost six years ago as a way to wean me off small-time bingeing. It has worked, and this through some very stressful years. Sure I had relapses and am not immune now, but honestly, now, most of the time, when I hear people say they ate because this bad thing happened or such, I have at least one thought that says, but that doesn't really make sense. But it can take a long time before it becomes really clear that compulsive eating when stressed just isn't very effective on any front! You have to do a LOT of it for it to bring any noticeable pleasure, and the aftermath... Even just sitting with cruddy stress feelings is better than the aftermath of overeating.

This was learned through MANY wild S days and slips. I was SICK of complaining about it, but I kept gorging, yet I never completely gave up, mostly because N days were so good! I just now went through a bad year and a half that I feel I've pulled out of, and my weight is lower than it has been in a couple of years.

I have a gentle suggestion for possibly not feeling so bad about not having sweets when others are. Start trying to savor all the food you do eat. When you get done with a meal, make a conscious effort to notice that you are full and satisfied and eating anything else to get fuller would probably be unpleasant. Check in every hour or so, especially after dinner, and notice that you are actually not truly hungry. Occasionally recall how uncomfortable it was on an S day to go overboard.

I found after doing that for awhile that when I was with others eating sweets, I got to the point at which I realized I really preferred to have a few more bites of the savory food to fill me up. The taste of the sweet sometimes appealed, but as a TOTAL experience, it lost some of its draw, and I could sit contentedly and see others enjoy.

Can't give you a time frame for this, though.

Enjoy every bite!

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 12:55 am

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- egg in a basket-left 10%

L- Ham and cheese sandwich; chicken noodle soup- left 25%; low carb snack bar

D- homemade low carb beef stew; spoonful of egg noodles

Homemade hot mocha

Oolala (love your name)- thanks for stopping by. I have read your posts before and can totally sympathize! It's hard when you know it's not a fit, but you still have to press on because of financial reasons. I'm getting close to 40 and feel tired and burned out after doing this for so long. I also have the same sense of needing to commit to something, yet I just can't figure out what yet. I think at the end of the day, we all just want to do something meaningful and feel like we are contributing, but it's hard to do with so many factors against us. I have friends that have taught in public school before and they ran for the door in most cases because of the kids AND all of the politics.

It's good to hear that No S has helped you all along the way. I will keep that with me, especially during those difficult days. Thanks also for your after-meal suggestion on gauging fullness and satisfaction.

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 11:56 pm

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- ham and cheese rolls; 1/2 PB & J

L- bratwurst on a slice of low cal bread; baby carrots with ranch

D- poverty meal (ground turkey and macaroni)

Still in pain. Am worried about how I will do when I go back into the office tomorrow. Fingers crossed I can make it through.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 6:18 am

Sorry--hoping for the best for you!

natj · Post by **natj** » Sat Oct 17, 2015 6:13 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- hard boiled egg with low cal toast

L- chicken-vegetable soup and salad

D- 1.5 slices pizza

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- vita top chocolate muffin

L- chicken pasta soup and salad

D- sweet and sour chicken; wonton soup
Fail: Cheetos; small handful of brook side chocolates

natj · Post by **natj** » Sat Oct 17, 2015 6:17 pm

S day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- none

Snack: 2 bites of cookie; bite of apple cider donut; bite of pumpkin chocolate bread

L- 1 large piece of thin crust pizza; cheese and summer sausage; 1/3 caramel apple; 1 sea salt caramel

D- small bowl of wonton soup; small bowl of fiber cereal
Snack: chips

natj · Post by **natj** » Sun Oct 18, 2015 11:02 pm

S day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 3 slices bacon; 2 pancakes with butter and sugar-free syrup

L- veggies and dip; ham and cheese roll-up; glass of wine

Snack: piece of apple pie

D- piece of deep dish pizza

Back is finally feeling better. Can't exercise yet, but hopeful that I'll at least be able to go on walks soon.

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 1:24 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Yogurt with nuts

L- Lean Cuisine; fruit

D- Taco salad with iced low-carb mocha

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Yogurt

L- Chicken Florentine with salad (left 40%)

D- 2 Hot Dogs on bun (left 40%); carrots and ranch; handful of Doritos

Low-carb hot chocolate

Back is acting up again. Need to be more careful with my recovery.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 2:37 am

Sorry nat :/

natj · Post by **natj** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 2:19 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Vitatop muffin

L- Jimmy John's unwich

D- ranch chicken casserole; low carb hot chocolate

Linda, thanks for checking up on me.

This is very annoying. I actually just finished some stretches and I think I will need to do them each day and then in a week or so, I will need to make the commitment and go to a chiropractor/doctor. We are going to Hawaii in 40 days and I don't want to be limited in my activities there.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 11:36 pm

No, you don't! Good luck.

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Oct 23, 2015 1:48 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Low calorie slice of toast with a tsp of pb

L- Slice of pizza with salad

D- Garlic shrimp with a few bites of pasta; two breadsticks

decaf coffee with cream and splenda

crossthebreeze · Post by **crossthebreeze** » Fri Oct 23, 2015 7:02 am

Stick with those stretches! I've had injuries before and doing physio exercises every day was the the only thing that worked. Good luck with your recovery!

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 1:18 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Yogurt

L- Panera you pick two- chicken soup and cesar salad with baguette

D- Lean Cuisine with sourdough roll; low carb hot chocolate

S Day

Coffee with cream and sugar

B- open-faced egg white and cheese sandwich on toast

L- 1/2 bacon cheeseburger and fries; a few onion rings

D- 4.5 pieces of pizza (overate)

Snacks: popcorn; 2 blow pops; serving of chips; 2 bites of my son's chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich

Exercise- walked 2 hours at the zoo- back was killing me afterwards!

A pretty wild S day- traveling to meet family and it was EXTREMELY stressful. That was translated in my eating, for sure.

S Day

Coffee with cream and sugar

B- egg white delight

L- lean cuisine; carrots and ranch; a few handfuls of popcorn

D- summer sausage and cheese

Snacks: bubble gum; sunflower seeds; vita top muffin spread with chocolate frosting; 4 sugar wafers

Returned from my travels; ate a little better today, but still kind of wild; so exhausted from the trip, but proud that I didn't let it turn into a binge.

Crossthebreeze- thanks for stopping by. It was actually a good reminder, as I haven't stretched for a few days while traveling. I will get to it this evening!

[/b]

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 1:28 am

Look for improvement not perfection; be persistent and you'll find your way.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 1:59 am

You're about three months in? This sounds right about on track.

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Oct 28, 2015 12:38 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Yogurt

L- Kashi frozen meal; carrots and ranch

D- Pork chop and oven roasted potatoes; low-carb hot chocolate

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Yogurt

L- Lean Cuisine; honeydew melon

D- Chicken tortilla soup; 2 crescent rolls; low carb hot mocha

Back on track after my wild weekend; feeling better

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Oct 28, 2015 11:49 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- yogurt

L- panera you pick 2- soup ans salad

D- manwich sandwich with cheese; a few tortilla chips; low carb hot mocha

natj · Post by **natj** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 1:39 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- yogurt

L- Lean Cuisine ; apple

D- veggie burger on sandwich thin; carrots and ranch; nut-thins; 100 calorie pack of almonds; low carb hot mocha

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and splenda

B-none

L- soup and salad

D- Filet mignon (left 1/3); 3 shrimp; sautéed spinach; 1/2 piece of italian bread with butter; 2 glasses of wine

Fail: snack size Snickers (was definitely worth it!)

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 5:06 am

Hoo, boy, was I thinking about Halloween candy this afternoon at work. I would have had to go out of my way to get it, so I didn't. If I had come across a snack size anything, I might have eaten it, too.

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 12:32 pm

Somebody already took their unwanted Halloween (non-chocolate) candy to the work lunch-room yesterday. I wonder why they just didn't throw it away. No one really wants it. Not even the folks who eat it.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 3:58 pm

Our school principal has some connections in Tijuana. She organizes a "leftover candy" drive at our school and takes the extra to TJ to distribute to poor kids there.

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 2:42 am

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 1 Banana pancake; over easy egg and 1 slice low cal toast

L- Chicken noodle soup; bread with butter

D-2 slices sourdough toast with butter and cream cheese; 1/2 carmel apple with nuts; handful of chips

Snacks: too much halloween candy (ugh)!

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- egg white, ham and cheese omelet

L- meatloaf, zucchini, sauteed mushrooms; small spoonful of mashed potatoes

D- pancake; bread with butter; sunflower seeds

Snacks: too much halloween candy- AGAIN!!! Arghhh!!! It's funny because I just read these posts on the candy and normally, I'm not too big a candy person. Here's what I think happened- I have been thinking I needed to lower my carb intake in general, and I think that restriction led me to want to eat tons of carbs during my S days... which I did. Anyway, no more Sweets during the week, so that should help me to stop eating candy (and feeling like junk).

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 2:45 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- egg white ham and cheese omelet

L- Unagi maki roll

D- Fish fry; coleslaw; low carb iced coffee

Fail: Sunflower seeds

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- yogurt with a sprinkle of granola

L- Chicken florentine with green salad

D- Shrimp scampi; salad; broccoli; cheddar biscuit; low carb iced coffee

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 6:25 pm

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Egg White Omelet

L- Amy's frozen dinner; halloween candy; sugar wafers; crackers... BINGE.

D- TBD

Ok, I fess up- I have been strictly counting calories on My Fitness Pal for the past 2.5 weeks to try and lose weight before my upcoming Hawaii trip. Today was a lesson learned that I am clearly unable to engage in diet restriction as it WILL lead me to binge. The last time I binged was when I was counting carbs. So, back to full on No S, with real meals and NO COUNTING CARBS OR CALORIES. When will I learn? At least I now know that engaging in this type of behavior will produce the opposite result for me. Sigh.

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 8:35 pm

No worries. Just mark it as a learning experience. Looking at the bright side, at least you know where to come back to

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 9:11 pm

Busted!

Actually, I think the research shows that logging food CAN work even without determining calories, in case that changes anything. I don't understand how it ends up working. I believe you have to have the exact right attitude or it will backfire. I swear it interferes with getting the visual and sensory cues right, which takes time. Slim cultures don't know from calories! But they do have ideas about how much food is reasonable at each meal, and they enjoy every bite!

I humbly suggest you just take the most flattering clothes you can to Hawaii and concentrate on enjoying the sights and events. Be radical in your meal moderation in preparation and hold your head high no matter what you weigh! You will have done your reasonable best.

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 1:40 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Egg whites and cheese in a low-carb wrap

L- lean cuisine and fruit

Iced coffee

D- 2.5 Chicken tenders; and fries

Gingerpie- agreed. Totally a learning experience.

Oolala- thanks for your comments and support. You are so right- slim cultures would never dream of counting calories. I still found myself trying to count when reflecting on my meals today, especially since my dinner was not the healthiest, but the good news is that I stopped myself and I didn't bother to put into My Fitness Pal. In fact, I actually removed the app from my phone. Another piece of good news is that I didn't think much about food today, nor did I feel the need to eat any sweets. I'm sure this urge will still arise from time to time, but hopefully since I know S days are coming, I can wait to enjoy on the weekend!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 3:43 am

Yay great progress!

I love oolala's advice so much. Really if you are sticking to 3 moderate meals you are doing your part. Your body may not always cooperate to the degree you like but you can't control that. You know you're not eating out of control and can feel good about that. The rest will happen in time.

Since we both have our Hawaii trips coming up, I'll promise not to let my weight get in the way of my enjoyment of it if you do. Remember it's not the weight that matters but how we decide to feel about/judge it. Plenty of body loathing size zeroes and plenty of size 16s who are strutting their stuff.

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Sun Nov 08, 2015 4:24 pm

N Day

B- Coffee with cream; Sausage egg and cheese croissant

L- Crispy chicken salad

D- veggie burger with butterered corn

Was hungry today, but could not identify what I had a taste for. Had some relatively random meals that were sort of spur of the moment. Was kind of a bummer.

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 2 over easy eggs with 2 slices low carb toast with butter

L- Salad with 2 slices thin crust pizza; 2 glasses wine

Snack: 1 additional slice of thin crust pizza; 1 cupcake; handful of tortilla chips and a bite of taco dip; sunflower seeds

Linda, thanks so much for your thoughts and continual support! I really do feel better about my upcoming trip to Hawaii. When I think through what I will be doing and seeing, it's hard to consider that I would spend the time feeling bad about myself rather than just enjoying the experience. As a result, I refuse to worry anymore and trust myself to just enjoy the trip! Not to mention, I will be off of work for 2.5 weeks- yay!!! I recently re-read one of your posts when you went on vacation with your sister and thought you did great- I hope that I will do the same.

natj · Post by **natj** » Sun Nov 08, 2015 4:33 pm

S Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 2 over easy eggs; a pancake; 1/2 piece of toast with butter; 2 sausage links (5-super yummy and satisfied)

L- A few cocktail shrimp; salad; a meatball and a little penne (5- super yummy and satisfied)

Snacks: 4 homemade chocolate chip cookies; sunflower seeds; Doritos (2- ate just to eat, but enjoyed the flavor of cookies, especially).

I got to thinking today about meal tracking and how very recently I had been tracking calories- which was a bad idea for me. I then had an idea about tracking my food and meals for satisfaction, and wondered if that would provide information for me on my journey. As a result, I am going to try and rate each meal, using a 1-5 rating scale documenting my satisfaction at each meal.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 4:57 am

Oh gosh I forgot about that trip nat! Yeah that was when I was at an all time high with my weight too. Somehow just feeling saner about food made me feel better about myself so manage to get through it just fine. I'm confident you'll do the same. And yay for time off!

natj · Post by **natj** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:05 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- piece of rye toast with butter and cream cheese

L- grilled chicken ceasar salad

D- Leftover pasta with meatballs and garlic toast. FAIL- had seconds on the garlic toast; then I ate chocolate chip cookies and milk... it was totally a WTH moment, and my tummy hurts now. Will do better tomorrow.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 5:15 am

Sorry-Monday's can be tough! I was less than perfect today too. Oh well, like you say tomorrow we'll do better !

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 4:13 pm

N Day

Coffee with cream and sugar

B- Rye toast with butter and cream cheese

L- Lean Cuisine; fruit

D- Mexican pasta; ANOTHER FAIL! Argghh... 2 chocolate chip cookies, 2 bites of cheesecake.

Grrr. Had a rough day at work yesterday and then a rough evening as I missed 1/2 of my son's parent teacher conference due to traffic. I was so mad and VERY hungry, so I think that's why I went overboard. Need to tighten up on my sweets. Don't want it to become a habit.

natj · Post by **natj** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 12:17 am

N Day

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- 1 piece of toast; egg whites; cottage cheese

L- Roasted butternut squash; hard boiled egg; 1 piece of toast; hot milk with honey

D- Chicken broth; grilled chicken salad; baguette

Ok, feel a little more in control today. Back on track.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:43 pm

Good job on getting back on track! I totally hear you on the sweets. I haven't completely taken them off of my plate on N Days, but I'm trying to rein in my sweets consumption.

MaggieMae · Post by **MaggieMae** » Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:23 am

Hi , natj! You're menus always look healthy and yummy! I can sympathize to those of you who hate your jobs. I have had some doozies. I was a music teacher in public schools, grade 6-12 for one year. I thought I was going to kill myself I hated it so bad. I went back to nursing school when I was 27. I wonder what the world record is for number of jobs held by one person? I've jumped around quite a bit in my time. Still searching for my DREAM job.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Nov 13, 2015 5:17 am

Glad you're back on track!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Nov 15, 2015 3:25 pm

Think I'll roast my acorn squash today, inspired by one of your days.

MaggieMay, I've lasted since 1999 in the public schools, but I came to the career in desperation for some financial security. I just couldn't be poor anymore. But I've paid a price. A lot of difficult conversations with students go round and round in my mind. I think this is my last year. I did just yesterday recommend to a teacher in his early '50s who said that he is starting to dread going into the classroom and having to contend with difficult students that he should consider a testing institute I used but did not follow the advice of. He's got engineering skills. I hope he does it and finds out there are better options.

I was browsing a link from the Penny Saver of a guy who has had tons of jobs and quit them all! He and his wife cobble together a living with all kinds of income streams. They had a website that made a ton of dough for awhile- no, not porn! They just don't like any kind of work enough to commit their days to it. I hear them!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Dec 04, 2015 4:21 am

Just checkin on ya. You ok? Maybe your off in Hawaii ? 😍

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 3:11 am

(Kona) Coffee with Cream and sugar

B- None (still jet lagged and didn't get up until late)

L- 1/2 bacon cheeseburger; 1/3 italian sausage sandwich; a few fries

D- JUNK. Sugar wafers; Doritos; Pretzel roll

Well, I'm back from Hawaii and suffering from jet lag. While I feel yucky from this (and my dinner), I suspect the real reason is my anxiety before my return to work from nearly 3 weeks off!

It feels good to be back checking in after taking a break from posting on my thread for awhile. I think I felt too much self-imposed pressure every time I documented what I ate because I felt torn between trying to honor myself and No S, but also trying to desperately lose weight before my trip. Well, I made it as a fat person in Hawaii. And you know what, it wasn't that bad. In fact, I was only reminded of it a few times (i.e. at the beach with my MIL and mom; wearing too tight spanx under one of my dresses, etc). I guess that means that I was able to truly enjoy myself. In fact, when I think back on the trip, I feel nothing but so fortunate to be able to do this for our family- especially while all of our parents were healthy, well, and able to enjoy their grandson (and children!).

I think all of the relaxation and family time also put things into perspective for me as I am truly looking forward to getting back to No S! This time I no longer have to focus on weight loss as a goal and I can just honor myself and my hunger without judgement or worry about what I am eating. I have also made some decisions about my work-life balance and hope that I will be able to switch to a part-time schedule sometime over next summer.

Linda, thanks so much for checking up on me- I was truly touched to find your post! I have been following your post and am heading over there now- wanted to gush when I read that you got Uggs for Hanukkah- I just got a pair too and I LOVE them!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 5:58 am

Nat--I missed seeing you around here. For a second I was worried you dropped off but then I realized you were probably in Hawaii. Glad I was right!

So glad you're back and that overall you were able to enjoy the experience! Yay and now the pressures off and you can just focus on your habits and not obsess about the scale.

Also glad you made some decisions about work. I'm sure it won't be easy going back but at hopefully now with a plan in place, you can feel a little better about it.

Yay for ugg boots! They are so cozy, I think I will wear them all winter long.

Gl getting back into the swing of things.

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 1:20 am

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Light english muffin with organic PB and a drizzle of honey

L- Roasted veggie couscous with tzaziki sauce; a few watermelon and pineapple spears

D- Chicken pot pie; steamed milk

Had a splitting headache today...all day- I'm sure it had to do with my "reentry" back to work, but at least I made it through. In the past, I have tended to overeat when not feeling well (especially when I get headaches/migraines), but today, I was able to talk myself through it and not eat junk or eat between meals.

Linda, yes, totally have no pressure and No S felt effortless today. I hope it stays that way! Well, I made it through and we'll see how tomorrow goes. One day at a time.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:05 am

Good job for sticking with No S, in spite of not feeling well! I'm glad you had a good time in Hawaii!

natj · Post by **natj** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:01 am

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Lite english muffin with butter and an egg

L- Salami sandwich on a slider bun; handful of Doritos; watermelon and pineapple

D- Sloppy joes; chips and a few pistachios- PLATE PILED HIGH for dinner today

Steamed milk with a spoonful of honey

Had some major anxiety as soon as I got home from work due to family drama around the Christmas day guest list. I reached for my plate immediately and started stacking. Oh well. Hopefully next time I can recognize and take a break before reaching for the food. One good thing, however, is that I have no guilt about having had eaten the "wrong" thing. What a relief- sigh.

Here's to a more moderate dinner tomorrow.

Thanks CG! I think I'll just take things day by day- yesterday good, today not as good.

NoelFigart · Post by **NoelFigart** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 2:06 am

The idea that you stacked a plate for dinner rather than snacked is still good for habit even if of course you're aiming for moderate generally.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 6:13 pm

Hope the family drama got resolved! Good for you for sticking to 3 plates. My plates were very high for many months so it's nothing to worry about. All that can/will be tweaked later. Just keep that habit going strong and you'll be in a great place.

Linda

natj · Post by **natj** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 1:01 am

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- Piece of toast with butter; scrambled eggs with feta cheese

L- leftover Sloppy joes; handful of Doritos

D- meatloaf; mashed potatoes; sugar snap peas

Steamed milk with a spoonful of honey

A more moderate day today, plate-wise, but I noticed that I still ate past full at lunch today and had steamed milk, just to have it (maybe i wanted the warmth?).

Noel and Linda, thanks for the encouragement! Gladly, I'm not as critical about this kind of thing as I have been in the past with No S. It's more of an observation this time around rather than a fix I need to focus on. Just something to note and hopefully work on going forward. In the meantime, I trust that I will not gain weight while following No S, although I may not lose much if any. However, that is a-ok with me for now.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 6:07 am

Sounds like you've got the right attitude for sure!👍

natj · Post by **natj** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 1:06 am

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- lite english muffin with butter and egg

L- Lean Cuisine; pineapple

D- 2 eggs; 2 pieces of toast with butter;

Fail- Chex Mix; a few chocolate covered blueberries

Another headache today. Drama at work. Oh well on the fail. Marking and moving on. Hope tomorrow is more compliant day.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 6:13 am

Oh boy seems like a lot of drama going around these days. I bet you wish you were in Hawaii still! Hope tomorrow is better!

natj · Post by **natj** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 2:50 am

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B-none (missed it at work)

L- 3 Chicken tenders and fruit salad

D- Sweet and sour chicken; pork fried rice; a small bowl of wonton (to ensure it fit on the plate)

Steamed milk with honey

Ok, so although I have ANOTHER headache again, but I am having a GREAT day! Earlier today, I received a call from my old boss about having me come back to work and on a part-time basis! It was an out of the blue call, although I hoped it would be an option for me at some point. Even better, he is willing to wait until late Spring/early Summer, which is when we'd be the most financially ready for a move like that. This all comes at a time where I've been offered a promotion at work that I don't want AT ALL, especially because I know my work-life balance would be even worse than it is today. So, this helps me feel like I will be able to make it just a little longer at my current job until I go back to my old company. Such a wonderful Christmas present for me!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:48 am

Yay, yay, yay!!! What a relief this must be to you! I imagine you must be very good at what you do to be getting promotions & ppl wanting you back but good for you for putting your quality of life first. It seems like this could be the perfect solution for you if you can just hang in there a little bit longer. What a great early xmas gift for sure.

natj · Post by **natj** » Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:29 am

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- low carb crepes filled with sugar (ha!)

L- filet mignon, broccoli, mashed potatoes (cleared about 60% of my plate)

Hot mocha

D- 2 slices thin crust pizza; vita muffin with chocolate frosting; sunflower seeds

Sugar wafers

It's amazing how my outlook on life has changed knowing I will soon has some balance in my life! I was able to easily feel both my hunger and fullness today, as if there was no challenge at all. Even with some family drama today, I "tried" to emotionally eat (sugar wafers), but my stomach actually protested! Weird.... but great. Anyway, it was not a wild S day at all, and I am grateful.

Linda, thank you so much for your encouragement, compliments and cheers!!! I can't believe the contentment I feel with having this upcoming opportunity. It has really taken a weight off my shoulders and I will relish the extra time I will have for my family and for myself. While I still have about 5-6 months to go, I know I will be able to get through it because of what's waiting for me at the end of the road.

Giada · Post by **Giada** » Sun Dec 20, 2015 5:06 pm

natj wrote: Anyway, it was not a wild S day at all, and I am grateful.

Well done!

natj · Post by **natj** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 3:10 am

Coffee with organic cream and sugar

B- scrambled eggs; toast with butter; 3 slices of bacon

L- grilled chicken breast; oven roasted potatoes; peas

Homemade Christmas crunch chex mix

D- Left over Chinese food

Another non-wild S day. So cool, but I'm wondering if I will be able to keep it up going forward- seems too good to be true. I have also noticed some weight loss in my pants which is exciting. I will get on the scale at some point here in the upcoming weeks for a point of reference.

Giada- thanks for the encouragement!

wahine · Post by **wahine** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 8:37 am

Not wild, but sounds quite yummy!

5-6 months will go quite quickly I reckon.