Everyday Systems

I found No S this summer in the comments of a NYT article about the decrease in soda consumption in the U.S. Someone had written about their approach to moderation and detailed No S. After some quick Googling, I was certain that this lifestyle was/is for me. I've been doing relatively well on No S, but in the last few weeks have created too many justifications for deviating from the 'plan.'

SO! I am committing to 21 days of Vanilla No S. Making this public feels a bit extreme, but I think that is what I need to break this feeling of being overly full.

I don't plan to detail all my meals, but I will check in to verify that I am following the No S guidelines.

I have all my meals planned out for today, so I am quite certain that it will be a splendid, green day.

Welcome, bighairdontcare! Here's to the next 21 days of success!

Day One - done?

Day 1:
Day 2: S Day
Day 3: S Day
Day 4: in progress, but I am confident that it'll be a green day

I bought myself a large canister of pumpkin spice tea for work. Whenever I want to snack, I'm going to make myself a cup of tea. It smells delicious.

Welcome--you're doing great! Pretty cool NoS was in the nyt!

Linda

Bummer. Red day. I didn't really well at work and let things fail apart when I got home. I feel gross physically—a good reminder that it feels better to exhibit moderation. Tomorrow is a new day & Day 1 (again).

*did really well at work

Yesterday was a successful restart, even with a social outing that involved a significant amount of food.

Today I am 2/2 (haven't had dinner yet).

Well done on the successful restart day - even with a social outing. Each success builds the new habit.

Welcome to the tribe! This is a great way to live.

What was that article? Can I read it online?

Oy vey. This weekend was very eat-y. Too much.

I actually skipped breakfast because I was still not hungry. I ate a small lunch portion that I initially thought wouldn't be enough, but about 5 minutes after eating I started to feel perfectly satiated. I need to remember that I don't need to feel FULL from my meals.

A coworker has requested to have an afternoon snack with me--I'm going to get a coffee and refuse any food. I can do it!

In regard to the article, oolala53, it wasn't actually an article. No S was mentioned in the comments of an article. I looked quickly this afternoon to see if I could find the article (it was from July of this year) and I couldn't find it after a quick glance. When I get some extra time, I'll try to dig around a bit.

Thanks. No hurry. I was just curious.

Woohoo! Yesterday was a highly successful day of eating. I am so delighted.

Tonight I have a work event where I know the food will come in waves and that I'll have to be intentional about being moderate. I can do it!

Thanks for all your support. It is GREATLY appreciated!

well done on having a successful day! This evening I guess the trick will be to decide which wave of food you choose to ride! If it's an unavoidable work thing, then I guess you just have to call it an S event - and be as moderate as you want to be? Good luck!

It doesn't have to be an S event if you "virtual" plate-takes honesty- or just keep the food together until you have a whole plate. Use your best habit judgment.

I'm going to call last night a SUCCESS! I stopped eating when I felt satiated (possibly slightly more than satiated, but definitely not all caps FULL). I wanted to keep going, but I just said to myself, "Self, you've had enough." And then I spent the rest of the night socializing and doing the necessary work stuff.

AND! Today I'm wearing a pair of pants that was rather snug about two weeks ago with infinitely more comfort/ease. Hooray!

woo hoo! BRILLIANT!

Mazel tov!

Things are going well! I am focusing on moderation and eliminating mindless eating.

Last night I should/could have stopped eating a bit sooner, but the discomfort was a good reminder that it feels GOOD to stop.

I am (semi-suddenly) moving to a new city this week. Things have been a bit of a whirlwind and there have been lots of celebratory meals. HOWEVER, I'm following No S and feel like everything is in control.

Someone told me that I better be careful not to gain ten pounds this week with all my celebrating. I'm not worried!

Did you thank them for their unsolicited concern? OK, I know that would be unnecessary bad form. But, really! It's amazing how much our culture feels permission to comment.

I hope the move is good news for you. I slightly envy having it as a reason to get rid of stuff!

Things have been very good, but very tiring in light of the big move and major life changes.

And in the midst of that there has been excellent adherence to No S. I haven't really been monitoring myself, which gives me confidence that it has become a habit. Three meals a day has become a relatively easy norm.

Good news.

Well, this past weekend involved A LOT of sweets and overeating. Not surprisingly, I didn't feel awesome. I had a jam packed, labor intensive weekend and kept justifying overindulging by telling myself that "I deserved it." I need to break away from that mentality.

This morning a coworker with a lot of self esteem problems brought me an expensive chocolate and I ate it in front of said coworker to make the person feel good. (It was a very sweet gesture! But I also know that if a less "fragile" person had given it to me, I would have had an easier time saving it for later.) I realized AFTER I ate it that I could have said that I planned to enjoy it later on. Alas...

On a positive note, I have been ROCKING on the walking front. My move including selling my car, which has resulted in SO much walking. I am going to start incorporating strength training tomorrow morning. I can do it! Just 14 minutes a day.

All in all, I think my eating is going well. I have some 'weak spots' that need to be strengthened and some emotional eating that still needs to be curtailed. But, overall, I really feel like habits have been/are being established.

That kind of S day happens!

Not sure if you've been doing much strength training. Some people work up to the 14 minutes.

You sound like you are right on track.

bighairdontcare wrote:All in all, I think my eating is going well. I have some 'weak spots' that need to be strengthened and some emotional eating that still needs to be curtailed. But, overall, I really feel like habits have been/are being established.

Great news - you know where the problems are, and your good habits will get you there.

I'm not sure if you plan to SG as a form of strength training, but if you do, you might have to work up to the full 14 minutes. I started with one set of three moves, 14 (naturally) to a side, and then added a set each week.

Good luck!

The Christmas holiday was a success! The days leading up to my vacation felt overly indulgent and gross, so I made a conscious effort to curb my excessive eating. I did eat a bit more than I should have (in regard to satiation levels) of savory food, but I was completely moderate with sweets. I am calling that a success! I find that abusing sugar makes it harder to get back on track than eating a bit more cheese or beef than I absolutely need.

I am looking forward to a quiet week at work and to really nourishing my body with quality foods.

Hoping that everyone had a wonderful holiday!

Well done! I'm in a similar place - hoping for a steady, sane No S week

I was way, way, way too snacky over the New Year's holiday (starting 12/30 and finishing up incredibly stuffed on 1/3). It was delicious, but uncomfortable. I think it's important to remind myself of the discomfort when the temptation to shove ALL THE FOOD into my mouth returns.

Last night I was excited to restart No S today. So far, 2 meals in, I have succeeded. Tonight someone is coming over for cake & coffee. It is a necessary social event and I will need to serve a dessert. I am committed to not eating any, but do hope it doesn't come across as uncomfortable for the guest.

Goals for this week: ALL GREEN and 4 outings of walking an hour (one down!) + 3 strength training sessions of 14 minutes. I can do this!

I was a bit cocky yesterday. I should know that I'm too social to resist dessert when I'm the hostess and worried that the other people won't eat if I don't... It was delicious.

Today is a new day.

I walked home from work last night, which was good for moving the body. HOWEVER, it is super, super cold here right now so I'm going to have to invest in some warmer gear if I want to continue to walk home from work.

bighairdontcare wrote:I was a bit cocky yesterday. I should know that I'm too social to resist dessert when I'm the hostess and worried that the other people won't eat if I don't... It was delicious.

Today is a new day.

I walked home from work last night, which was good for moving the body. HOWEVER, it is super, super cold here right now so I'm going to have to invest in some warmer gear if I want to continue to walk home from work.

Hooray for new days and walking .

There was a day last week that I decided to have dessert. I had another "I deserve it" moment. And then I contemplated not recording said moment. What I appreciate about No S is that there isn't shame attached to non-compliance. I had a red day and now I am working towards more consistent green days. It's really rather simple.

This past weekend I had a friend in town and while I definitely ate a bit heavier than I should have, I do feel like I had relative moderation. Today I am craving sugar, but so far am 2/2 on the No S parameters.

On the days that I go home right after work I've settled into a nice routine. I make a cup of tea and change into my workout/comfy clothes and do my 14 minutes of weights. There is usually some mental cheer leading required. "Self, you can do ANYTHING for 14 minutes." And then, post exercise, I stretch and start dinner.

This week is very busy (new class, another friend in town, travel, impending weather issues, and all the usual work/house stuff), but I am determined to commit to No S and have at least two days of weights thrown in the mix.

Totally gave into emotional eating last night. Meh. Today is a new day.

Overall I feel like I'm embracing hunger as a positive thing and not a I-need-to-eliminate-this-sensation-NOW! thing.

So, so much walking is happening, which delights me.

I, too, like the fact that No S in non-shaming - a blip is just a blip - and the general trend is towards much saner eating habits (and exercising in your case - well done!)

This weekend was another free-for-all. Though I was rather pleased that I only ate at 1 of the 2 Super Bowl parties that I attended. It was really hard to say no to more food, but I was 1,000% satiated and had enjoyed more than enough treats for the day/weekend. I am reminded that saying no enables me to say a more significant yes at another time.

This week I am committed to No S compliance (just turned down office snacks---that was hard today) & exercising three times.

I am HUNGRY, however it is not time to eat a meal... I'm checking in for accountability because it seems infinitely easier if I come here and publicly declare that I am going to make some tea and HOLD OFF ON EATING for two hours. Note to self: Hunger is not a bad feeling (and repeat x1,000).

My job focuses on helping those that don't have access to food, so I feel exceedingly blessed to have the 'problem' of needing accountability to avoid overeating.

I love your screenname, bighairdontcare!

My experience of between-meal-hunger is that it backs down considerably if I am absolutely clear that it won't get fed until the next regular meal.

It's not steadily fierce. It just roars, then backs down when I don't give in. And it might offer another roar or two but it doesn't roar constantly for the entire two hours (or however long until the next meal).

Not sure if others have the same experience or not...

I am going to do another 21 days of strict adherence. I need to solidify my habits. I also think that I need to post here daily, during the 21 days, to hold myself accountable. I'll triple up on Mondays because I don't go online much on the weekend.

I just downloaded an app called Pact, which charges you for missing a work out and pays you for sticking to one! I'm super excited.

Good luck and go get it!

Day 2

Yesterday was almost a red day, but I was able to stick with my habit. Phew, that was a close one!

I did the color incorrectly. That should read Day 2.

I need all the greens that I can get.

Two green days! Strong start.

Awesome! I had missed looking at your thread for awhile.

Hope it's okay if I say that sometimes, doing as a thin person would can help, though I'm not one to believe we can always mimic them. But I've seen for more than 20 years that my thin nephew-in-law often leaves a lot of food on his plate, including desserts. The cake might look like it's been tucked into, but not by much. He is not pressured very much by others. But, he is a guy, and they sometimes have it easier in this department.

What is your job, if I may ask?

Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7[/b]

Solid green week! Yay!

Thanks for the kind words, Queenie and oolala53!

Day 8

[color=green]Day 9[/color]

Hmm. Home sick and operating off of my phone today. I guess the formatting isn't the same on a mobile?

Nevertheless, yesterday was green!

Nice going, bighair.

Day 10

Thanks, Queenie! We're in the same area. Hope you're staying warm.

bighairdontcare wrote:Day 10

Thanks, Queenie! We're in the same area. Hope you're staying warm.

We are? How fun!

Yes, my furnace has been busy.

I love snow. It's a treat that we are likely to get some overnight.

Ten days -- you're on a roll.

Day 11

Last night I left some room on my plate so that I could do a virtual plating of mango after dinner. Turns out I was full without the "dessert", so I ended up forgoing the fruit. I haven't eaten much this week, which I attribute to not feeling well. Food hasn't been as appealing. I always get nervous when my appetite decreases because I never want to be the person that barely eats*, but I need to listen to my body and let it sort itself out. Life is good.

*I am highly social and really enjoy the social aspect of food.

Dang it. Day 11 should be green!

Day 15 (this day was borderline not green, but I'm going to give it to myself. I am noting that it is slightly a stretch because I want to be reminded that it DOES not feel good to overeat; it still tastes good, though. )

Day 16 (this was a SOLID green day! In fact, I probably ate too little and normally would feel panicked about that. But I decided to keep telling myself, "You ate your three plates and tomorrow you will have three more. All is well." IT WORKED! )[/b]

bighairdontcare wrote: "You ate your three plates and tomorrow you will have three more. All is well." IT WORKED! )[/b]

That's awesome!! Keep up the great work.

Day 18

Visiting family that I haven't seen since Christmas. They all remarked that I looked "trimmer." That certainly isn't the ultimate goal, but it is a nice comment to hear.

Day 19 (NWS)
Day 20
Day 21

I'm going to do another 21 days of checking in. I found it really helpful for resetting myself and renewing my commitment to moderation.

I was planning to jump right back into another 21 day challenge. However, I decided to make Monday another NWS because I was hosting a party and wanted to enjoy all the food options (particularly the dessert! ). It ended up being a one-meal NWS and not a total free for all, which I think is a wonderful example of how No S frees us from deprivation.

Yesterday (Tuesday) I was back on track! Life is good.

Day 1

Day 3

I was REALLY tempted to nibble while packing up the leftovers, but I was able to refrain because I knew that I'd be reporting my habit over here. Communal accountability works!

Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

A good weekend--good food, good friends, good fun! And I had the opportunity to espouse the virtues of No S to a book club that I'm in.

Day 7

I am nailing the not eating before dinner is ready thing. Last night I definitely ate past the point of full. Still green, but I can do a better job of listening to my body.

Thursday-Sunday were an epic free-for-all. Granted the Saturday and Sunday bits were S Days. However, it was too much eating, too often, and for the wrong reasons. I DO NOT want to revert back to my old habits.

And I won't.

Onward and upward! Today is Day 1 again. I can do this.

Here's to a great post-Easter green week!

Thanks, oolala53! I always appreciate your encouragement and positivity.

Day 2

Phew. BARELY made it to green. Knowing that I was going to report was the only thing that kept me in line. I'm not sure why it's been such a struggle lately, but I am determined to solidify the habit.

I'm convinced that staying green when it's hard does more to solidify the habit than when it's a piece of cake. You rode the wave to shore!

BIG SIGH. This has been hard. I'm REALLY not sure why.

Due to having guests in town, etc. I am switching my S Days this week (and this week only! ). I used one last night and am using one on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will be green days.


Day 3[/u]

After a super successful 21 day challenge, I have REALLY struggled with my second 21 day challenge. I *think* I am subconsciously feeling restricted, but am not restricting myself at all... I spent some time thinking through things this weekend and felt like I had a better hold on myself when I woke up this morning. So, after another overeating extravaganza, I am restarting AGAIN (I'll keep getting up, no matter how many times I fall ).

Meals #1 and #2 of the day were on habit. One more to go!

I had to take a break from checking in, as it was proving to be unhelpful.

I'll be back intermittently with updates on how my habit building is going.

Notes to self: Being hungry is not a bad thing. One day at a time, one meal at a time.

Hi! I find the HabitCal great for just keeping going day-by-day, rather than thinking that I have to 'restart'. I hope you are doing well.

Rawcookie, you always have supportive, helpful advice. Thanks!

I am coming back to post my next 21 day Vanilla No S.

Day 1
Day 2

No S is always in the back of my mind, but I want some accountability in tightening up my habit.

Am going on holiday in 10 days, but I don't want to use that excuse to over consume prior to going (can go into all or nothing mode at times).

I can do it!

Hi, bighairdontcare! I just restarted myself (and I also have big hair LOL). We can do this!

Back from an awesome vacation and clicking into habit.

I even stopped eating my dinner halfway last night, even though it had all fit into one (*ehem* rather big) bowl. Yay for moderation and doing and redoing behaviors!

We can do this!

I know that this isn't the point of No S, but thought I'd share as a tangential benefit:

Yesterday I ran into a bunch of people that I haven't seen in months and they were raving about how good I look. It was encouraging both in an appeal to my vanity, but also as a reminder that being at peace with oneself and ending the war on food and body looks good on EVERYONE.

I still have work to do. Lots and lots of it! Even after feeling energized by the kind compliments, I had a way too indulgent S Day just because I could (was very NOT hungry and eating just because). Not a big deal, of course, but a humbling reminder to keep at moderation.

Hi! Hey, what happened during the year you weren't on the forum. You said you came back to tighten things up. Had you been doing basically No S?
TX