Not sure I can do this

mylizzie · Post by **mylizzie** » Sat Jul 02, 2016 6:17 pm

I have tried losing weight MANY times before but I always give up. I have decided to try again but the voice far inside my head tells me this will never work and I can't do it. Here I go again.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 3:56 am

Welcome, Lizzie! It can be so frustrating, I agree. I have been able to lose (a little) with other diets--but I hadn't ever found a diet I felt could stick with long-term before NoS, and I always gained back anything I lost and more.

Is this your first time doing NoS?

I just want to encourage you to give it a try. Some weeks I lose something, some weeks I don't--but I feel so much better not being overstuffed all the time, and have gained self-control that I never, ever thought I could (I always felt I had to eat anything out at someone's house, like a compulsion--I never thought I could really NOT do that--it's been so encouraging to find that I can). You might be surprised at how you change over time. I've lost 17.5 pounds since last Thanksgiving--not a fast loss, but definitely sustainable loss, and without the level of effort I've had to spend in the past either (last thing I did was counting calories--ugh! this is much more practical and easy).

Hang in there, and let us know how we can support you.

LifeisaBlessing · Post by **LifeisaBlessing** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 8:44 pm

Hi lizzie! I wholeheartedly agree with Merry--NoS is a wonderful way to eat, and it's so doable. The board here is super-supportive, so you've come to the right place. Welcome!

mylizzie · Post by **mylizzie** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 11:50 pm

losing 17 pounds sounds wonderful. Whenever I try to change how I eat, I focus on food so much more and feel hungry all the time, that I can't manage well. I think the idea that eating regularly is more mental than anything else is true. I think I have very little self control. I have been doing well the past 3 days, but then 2 of them were s days so I don't know if any of that counts. I have decided not to weigh myself for about 3 weeks so I don't obsess about it.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 3:22 am

mylizzie wrote:losing 17 pounds sounds wonderful. Whenever I try to change how I eat, I focus on food so much more and feel hungry all the time, that I can't manage well. I think the idea that eating regularly is more mental than anything else is true. I think I have very little self control. I have been doing well the past 3 days, but then 2 of them were s days so I don't know if any of that counts. I have decided not to weigh myself for about 3 weeks so I don't obsess about it.

Good for you! Just focus on habits for now. You have one green day under your belt--that's a good start, you can build on that. Take it one day at a time. I do think a lot of it is mental. Sometimes I would tell myself, "I'm not really *hungry*, I'm well-fed and eating 3 good-sized meals per day." I really wasn't hungry the majority of time either--I was just used to eating whenever--not a good habit. I re-read the book a lot in the beginning because I felt it was really helpful with some of the mental.

I thought more about food in the beginning too--I think that's normal. It's much less now for me though. There are still times, but overall it's not the issue it was before. So...if it helps, know that you do get past that time.

I hope tomorrow goes well for you!

mylizzie · Post by **mylizzie** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 1:59 pm

starting day 5. so far so good. I haven't gorged out on ice cream and potato salad, and I haven't starved.

Emmama · Post by **Emmama** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:11 am

mylizzie wrote:starting day 5. so far so good. I haven't gorged out on ice cream and potato salad, and I haven't starved.

Good for you! I would encourage you to just focus on building the habit for now. It's Day 19 for me, and I am struck by just how easy this is in some ways. I've had a couple "fail" days, but nothing too crazy. I, too, have done a ton of diets and nothing ever seems to work long term. I'm willing to give this a chance...

Again, congrats and good job!

e-lyn · Post by **e-lyn** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:36 am

I have come to accept that some days are going to be easier than others. You're doing great so far!

mylizzie · Post by **mylizzie** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 5:47 am

ok. one week in and I think it went pretty well. I read the no-s diet book and I am struck by how psychological the approach is. I love the habit chapter. It applies to many facets of life other than eating. Many years ago when I first got married, I did not have the evening... watching tv and eating snacks at the same time habit. My husband did. I remember being amazed that after dinner, when he was supposed to be full, he always ate while he watched TV. Over the past 40 years I have come to his side, and now I have the same habit. When I sit down to watch TV in the evening, suddenly I have this amazing urge to eat... cookies, ice cream, chips. I grew up with no snacks and now I am trying to get the healthy habit back. so far so good.

bunsofaluminum · Post by **bunsofaluminum** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 1:36 pm

I grew up with no snacks and now I am trying to get the healthy habit back.

Since starting NoS, I've been thinking back to my childhood, too. I remember clearly being a little kid and asking for something and someone saying "It'll spoil your dinner"...as if snacks WEREN'T something that you did all the time. It's wonderful getting back to that. It feels amazing to be in control, not catering to every little nudge from my appetite. Food, not being the focus of every idle moment? wow!

You're gonna love it.

LifeisaBlessing · Post by **LifeisaBlessing** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 1:58 pm

Habit is so important I've found. Once you can establish it, it will get easier to keep up. And like bunsofaluminum, I distinctly remember the, "Don't spoil your dinner!" comment whenever I was asking for a snack as a child. Getting back to that "basic" advice was very helpful for reaching and maintaining my goal.

mylizzie · Post by **mylizzie** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 8:20 pm

SO... 2 weeks in and so far so good. I haven't weighed myself, trying to avoid discouragement. after all, I'm supposed to be developing life-long habits, so it doesn't really matter if I lose weight or not. I just finished my Saturday root-beer-float. I'm trying hard not to feel guilty. I can tell that my stomach volume is shrinking. I am becoming more aware of when I am full and I don't want to eat any more. thank you all for your support.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 11:15 pm

Lizzie, I'm late to your party but not to No S. I implore you to try to think of good reasons to reduce overeating rather than to reduce weight. We never know how our weight will respond to sustainable eating changes, but there is benefit from consistent moderation completely unrelated to weight loss. Without recognizing and cherishing these benefits, we become slaves to the scale, who is a very uncooperative and changeable mistress.

If six months or a year down the line, the habits are solidly in place but you are not satisfied with the results, the discipline you will have learned will serve you well. Or it will help you see you are doing all you are willing to, and that can be a solace in itself.

mylizzie · Post by **mylizzie** » Sat Jul 23, 2016 9:58 pm

wow. 6 years is very impressive. Well, today is 3 weeks and I just finished my Saturday root beer float. That is the reward I think of all week. I actually did ok with no failures and no cheating. Whenever my husband offers me to share his evening snack, I am practicing saying, "no thank you.. I'm still full from dinner"

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 4:57 am

Excellent tactic. If all you need for your treat is a root beer float, you are way ahead of the game.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 10:13 pm

Sounds like you're doing well, Lizzie! Keep hanging in there!

mylizzie · Post by **mylizzie** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 8:20 pm

ok... I have finished 6 weeks and am still on course, even though I went to a family reunion camping trip filled with snacks, sugar and yummy big meals. I have weighed myself and I am 6 pounds down from my start weight, so I am feeling success. I would love to be 10 pounds down at the end of the year, which includes thanksgiving and christmas. At the reunion, I ate the snacks and tried to just rein in on the seconds, all with happiness and no guilt. It seems to have worked.

LifeisaBlessing · Post by **LifeisaBlessing** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:46 pm

Congratulations on your weight loss, mylizzie!

Great way of adjusting the plan to fit what was going on in your life--keep up the fantastic work!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 1:24 pm

Those are fantastic results! Some people lose nothing in the same amount of time. I like your modest year-end goal. Kudos.

mylizzie · Post by **mylizzie** » Wed Oct 19, 2016 5:18 am

I have gone through a couple of bad weeks. It seems like my self control is OUT OF CONTROL. I was doing so well at first, but then I stopped being so strict with myself and it was all downhill after that. I need to get myself back on the strict rules. I can't cheat even a little bit, because once I cheat, then why not cheat again... and again.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 3:58 am

Sorry you've had a couple of bad weeks. Shake it off and just look at things a day at a time (or a meal at a time as needed!) It's so easy to let one rationalization lead to another--sometimes that's part of the learning process with No-S too. But the great thing with No-S, every day is a new day and has the chance to be a "green" (success) for that day. Hang in there!

ModBod · Post by **ModBod** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 8:27 am

Just wrote on your check-in too... Merry is so right that it's about each day being a new opportunity to be green! I think it is good to see it as a learning experience (about ourselves) ...as much as wanting it to be about the weight. Turn it into an opportunity to observe ourselves (rather than berate ourselves!) and really focus on the progress. The fact that each day we can have a little celebration - and also have people cheering along on here - really helps.

You CAN do it. It is a great system. It's just there's lots of previous baggage that we have to do away with/reprogramme ourselves out of. But it's about a long-term change, so we can allow it to take time to be fully realised. I'm trying to get myself to see this as at least a year's commitment/experiment, so then I don't have to worry about the disaster of a 'blip' because it's not like I'm trying to lose half my bodyweight before the end of the month; I'm trying to regain my sanity and get to ENJOY food.

All the best and don't give up!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:31 pm

mylizzie, I went through something similar recently. It feels terrible when you're in it. Do your best to get through at least one meal gap without eating each day. Then work up the time between eating. It doesn't have to be all at once.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Oct 21, 2016 1:29 pm

BTW, about90% of dieters go way overboard when they slip. Some of them never get over it because they interpret it as meaning they are a complete failure, it's not use trying, etc. Something successful loser/maintainers finally realize is that they CAN wean themselves off that habit. Their slips go from lasting weeks, months of even years to a few days, then a few hours, etc

Keep trying and try not to get upset with yourself.

Consider having two habitcals, one for Vanilla No S and one for if you keep a slip small. I've seen that work to get someone over a hump.