3squaremeals daily check in

Counting carbs/calories is a drag. Obsessive scale stepping is a recipe for despair. If you want to count something, "days on habit" is a much better metric. Checking off days on a calendar would do just fine, but if you do it here you get accountability and support. Here's how. Start a new topic in this forum called (say) "Your Name Daily Check In." Then every N day post a "reply" to that topic as to whether you stayed on habit. A simple "<font color="green">SUCCESS</font>" or "<font color="red">FAILURE</font>" (or your preferred euphemism if that's too harsh) is sufficient, but obviously you're welcome to write more if you want. On S-days just register that you're taking an S-day. You don't have to do this forever, just until you're confident you've built the habit. Feel free to check in weekly or monthly or sporadically instead of daily. Feel free also to track other habits besides No-s (I'm keeping this forum under No-s because that's what the vast majority are using it for). See also my <a href="/habitcal/">HabitCal</a> tool for another more formal (and perhaps complementary) way to track habits.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:50 pm

Yes hopefully over time my meals go back to more wholegrains but if not I'm fine with that too. I eat a fair amount of fruit and veg most days so hopefully get enough fibre from that.

Wow I'm not sure I could only have 1/2 c of rice. I need about a cup to stay full without snacks in between. I'm glad my portions are pretty good overall. My main struggle is not picking at the kids food after dinner, which a solid 21 days of No S should help to fix

Yum I am tempted to have more flatbread but I'm looking forward to some delicious sticky white rice tonight. It's certainly been a while since I've had white rice!

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sat Feb 24, 2018 10:24 am

Happy with my S day today

B- muesli, yoghurt and raspberries
L- piece of rye toast, egg, bacon and mushrooms + a peach
T- a small amount of 3 different thai dishes and rice - I used a small plate tonight and was still satisfied
S day treat: Some Ben and Jerry's half baked

3squaremeals
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Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:12 am

Green day today. I like to just have one S day as 2 in a row sends me off track.

My stomach is still playing up so I have decided to cut out gluten and lactose for a few weeks and see if it settles down. It has been over a month now of dealing with having a sore, crampy bubbling stomach every day. Really getting over it.

My food today
B- 2 pieces of rye toast wiith peanut butter
L- baked beans, rye toast and pear
T- homemade chicken fried rice and broccoli
Post workout cup of milk

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:18 pm

Sorry for bubbly stomach. Those would be tough for me to give up, but if I thought they were giving me such grief, it would definitely be worth the experiment.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

automatedeating
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Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Feb 26, 2018 5:19 am

Oh gosh so sorry about your stomach pains. A whole month of that?! That would be tough indeed.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:13 am

Thanks oolala. It certainly will be challenging but I'm hoping I will feel much better soon.

Green day today. Didn't get to eat much lunch due to coming home to a venomous snake in my house on my lunch break!

B- gluten free granola, coconut yoghurt and raspberries
L- a few mouthfulls of veg soup, gluten free toast and a pear
T- turkey meatballs on rice with sauce
Unfortunately I forgot the meatballs had breadcrumbs in them!

My stomach felt better today which was nice for a change

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:32 am

Thanks automatedeating. It hasn't been the greatest month. I am having a blood test to test for celiacs on Weds so I will see how that goes.

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:04 am

Green today.

My stomach is still feeling much better than what it was. I even had dairy today as I'm sure it is gluten that was causing it. I've got my blood test tomorrow too.

Food today:
B- gluten free muesli with greek yoghurt
L- avocado on gf toast, pear and grapes
T- Burrito

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:15 am

I will anxiously await your test results!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

oolala53
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Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Wed Feb 28, 2018 5:55 am

Wait, what? A venomous snake? Where in heavens name do you live? (Actually, when I was 7, we moved to a not-so-big California city and to a rather remote street to a corner house that no one had lived in for awhile. There was a wide open area on two side in a kind of desert-ish environment. Not long after we moved in, I went running up to the back door where a rattlesnake was curled up on the top step. I remember feeling like I flew backwards. Later I heard that you are supposed to freeze. I couldn't imagine doing that nor do I think it would have been a good idea. The thing was cornered. When I think about it now, it seems amazing that my mother didn't go off her rocker. She was from a very urban city on the east coast. But we had lived in Texas, so maybe that got her ready. I never remember her ever talking about it again.) Okay, now that I've made this about me, please give some details!

Good luck with the blood test. I hope it gives you news that helps.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Wed Feb 28, 2018 11:54 am

I live in rural Australia, it was a brown snake, only a baby but apparently they are worse as they can't control how much venom they release so usually release more than an adult snake would. My cat was playing with it, he was lucky he wasn't bitten. I took him to the vet to check he hadn't been bitten and to be observed as I had to return to work.

It certainly is scary when you see the snake. I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing when I seen it in my dining room! I'm pretty sure it came in the cat door as our cats won't use it with the flap on so we took the flap off.

Had another green day today
B- gf granola, yoghurt and raspberries
L- leftover mexican mince with gf toast + an apple
T- thai green fish curry, steamed greens, corn and rice

Feeling good about my portion sizes too as I am using an 8.5 inch plate.

My stomach has also felt good today too. Looking forward to getting my blood test results back so I know whether I have celiacs or if it is just an intolerance to gluten.

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Thu Mar 01, 2018 12:12 pm

Wow another snake in the house. My son almost stood on it as he got up the table for dinner. I have put the cat flap back on the cat door as I certainly don't want my kids getting bitten if more come in. It also worries me that my toddler might pick one up if he sees it outside and then get bitten.

I'm looking forward to my S day a lot this week thanks to PMS. I have decided I will have a chocolate bar and some gluten free hot cross buns smothered in butter for breakfast. They certainly won't be as good as regular hot cross buns but they will hopefully satisfy my craving.

Green!
Food today:
B- gf muesli, yoghurt and raspberries
L- avocado and eggs on gf toast with grapes
T- creamy mushroom, bacon, spinach gf pasta with steamed greens
+ a glass of milk after the gym

oolala53
Posts: 10059
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Thu Mar 01, 2018 7:59 pm

Without that flap, it sounds like a snake door!

I'm sorry if I missed this, but did you move recently?

Good plan for S day breakfast
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Mar 02, 2018 3:06 am

It certainly was a snake door! One of the cats has already learnt to use the cat door with the flap so hopefully the other cat learns soon.

No we haven't moved recently. We moved from New Zealand to Australia about 5 years ago though.

My blood test results came back negative for Celiacs so it could just be an intolerance. I will follow the gluten free diet for another week or two then try introduce gluten again and see if my symptoms return so I know for sure.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Fri Mar 02, 2018 3:21 am

I'm kind of having a panic attack about the whole snake thing. I don't mind snakes at all -- the NON venomous ones. Yikes! I'd want to move! :shock:
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

oolala53
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Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Fri Mar 02, 2018 5:38 am

It just sounded like the snake thing was new.

Congrats on the negative celiac test. I mean, it's doable but it can put a real dent in your options.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Mar 02, 2018 5:49 am

This is the first time we have ever had to deal with snakes but we only got our cats last year and put the cat door in a few months ago. I'm sure they have been around other years but have been lucky enough to have not seen them. I am on high alert now checking under the table every time I walk past!

Thanks Oolala, it certainly would be hard to be strictly gluten free forever. I'm secretly hoping I tolerate gluten again when I reintroduce it because proper non gluten free bread and baked goods are too good to give up!

3squaremeals
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Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Mar 02, 2018 7:42 am

Red today but not out of control. I stupidly ate 2 small crackers as I was giving them to my kids. Well that upset my stomach big time. Cramping, bloating and gas. I need to be strict with this gluten free diet for the next 2 weeks and not even allow myself to have small amounts.
I also ate my S day chocolate bar out of the fridge. It was a conscious decision which I made to curb my PMS craving so I didn't end up caving and binging.

Food today:
B- gf muesli, greek yoghurt and blackberries
L- grilled cheese and ham sandwhich then filled the rest of my plate with carrot, cucumber, grapes, pear and plum. Trying to fill my plate with lots of fruit and veg to ensure I'm getting enough during the day.
T- homemade gf veg and pepperoni pizza

Red foods
2 small crackers
Chocolate bar

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:29 pm

Well my red day turned into a disaster. I ended up having seconds of the pizza and had a strawberry milkshake. Then on my S day I had the gluten free hot cross buns and they were so dry and unsatisfying which led me to permasnack all day and get kfc for dinner. Me feeling unsatisfied with my food is a binge trigger for me. I am extremely disappointed in myself and feeling blah today but I'm glad it is an N day and I can get back to having some structure. I felt overfull and stuffed all day and I hate feeling like that.

I've decided I will stick to vanilla No S but just have the one S event on both days. I would prefer it to be a dessert as I'm more likely to stick to my 3 meal structure during the day but if I have it during the day I won't stress, I will just have to be careful to keep it to that one S event.

oolala53
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Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Sun Mar 04, 2018 1:21 am

Your comment about the hot cross buns wanna-bees reminded me of this a bit dated diet parody video of "Hello." I don't know where they got the voices to sing the lyrics. If I had been drinking anything when I first saw it, it would have been all over the computer screen. I hope you enjoy it, perhaps again, as I think I posted it before and it probably made the rounds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ6-nCLeDsI

Gawd, I have GOT to go Luddite!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:16 am

Haha love that video, it's hilarious! They are right about gluten free bread tasting like a sponge!

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:34 am

Green today after a terrible weekend, feels good to not feel full and bloated all day.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:45 am

The best kind of lesson for ammunition next time. "I want that now, but I don't want THAT later. Pain now/pleasure later vs., well, you know.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:01 am

Yes definitely, I need to remember that next time. Another green day. I think my body is starting to get used to 3 meals again. I didn't even feel hungry this afternoon or think about food once until I got home to cook dinner.

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:22 am

Got my blood test results back today and my Cholesterol is back within the normal range. Glad exercising and losing weight has helped. Also negative for Celiacs. I have been eating gluten this week and haven't felt too bad. So glad!

Technically a red day yesterday due to eating a few grapes after dinner. They were definitely worth it, freshly picked off the vine. But apart from the grapes I just had my 3 meals.

Green today

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:42 am

Wonderful news! and even a little wonderful to have grapes off a vine.
Last edited by oolala53 on Sat Mar 10, 2018 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:46 am

I had a green day and then 2 wild out of control S days. I hate how S days make me feel and I hate how S days completely derail me and what I habits I have established on N days. I know I need a mod for S days but always say to myself on the S days oh this won't hurt it's an S day. Then one thing leads to another and I have consumed most of the batch of cookies and handfuls of baking choc chips. I don't need S days every week to stay on track, I find I do better when I don't eat sweets. S days will now be saved for close family birthdays and Christmas day. Possibly Easter but that usually leads to 4 days of binging on chocolate due to the kids having lots leftover, so think I will avoid this one. Other S events will be the rare once or twice yearly that I go out for my partners work dinners or attend a baby shower or wedding.

I absolutely love the structure of the No S diet on my N days. I barely get hungry between meals and don't have to worry about what snacks I am eating. So back to 3 square meals and S days only for special occasions rather than just because it's the weekend and I can.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Sat Mar 10, 2018 9:52 pm

I looked back through your thread and saw this fitting comment from oolala.

Oolala said,
I suspect that whether or not curtailing S's will lead to more issues or not is whether or not you feel it's undermining your peace on S days and after, and you're willing to "suffer" through the urges without giving in for the payoff of peace later because you waited for that next sustaining, delicious meal. I think for many of us, regret is more annoying and spirit-defeating than the annoyance of wanting to quell the antsy feeling of wanting those bites (or more). It seems that people who have a hard time going back are a little more likely to benefit from it than people who are relieved to get back to moderation.
I will be honest in that I just worry a tiny bit that if you get "going" on sugar so much after just a week away from it that if you try to restrict further that you might end up going away from "N" eating for weeks at a time, rather than just Monday and Tuesday, you know what I mean?
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Mar 11, 2018 11:55 pm

Thanks automatedeating I think you are right. I think what I wrote was my usual reaction after a binge, to restrict myself. I know I need some sort of Mod but not that strict. I'm thinking to allow myself a dessert after dinner. Something special that I have brought that I can enjoy like a slice of cake or lemon meringe pie. Rather than something hardly worth eating from the cupboard that leaves me unsatisfied craving more. Also I need to stop baking, that is a trigger for me to binge, it always has been. I guess I need to find a way to still enjoy S days without it turning into a day long binge. I think by having a dessert that I can look forward to will help. I also think with saving it until the end of the day will help avoid the mindset of well I've already eaten too much, I may as well keep going.

I'm also finding it hard to get rid of this diet head mentality that I have to eat super healthy and only wholegrain bread, pasta and brown rice and if I eat white bread, rice and pasta then I will get fat and I've ruined my diet. I just need to remember to focus on 3 plates and not obsess over what is on those plates. I should be enjoying what I eat and the freedom from the food guilt! This is one of the main reasons I want to do No S!

3squaremeals
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Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:56 am

Yesterday and today have been green, even went to the gym today. Feeling back on track again.

oolala53
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Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Mar 13, 2018 11:05 pm

On Spark on the Binge team I lead, a new member recently came on, obviously hadn't read any of the previous posts on a thread that's been running for eight years. blew in going on and on about how "this must stop" and that she just had to get even more strict, that if she could just get ten days straight (I htink her byline said something about being vegan), that she knew she would be okay...I felt the hackles on the back of my neck rising. I can't remember if I said anything right away or not. A few other people didn't say anything to her directly but made comments about how they had had a meal with something they really liked and it helped them say no later. Maybe I said to be careful about making sweeping announcements after a binge because you can't trust your thoughts under the influence of "drugs," and panic rarely leads to long term behavior changes. I think she hasn't responded. I doubt she's ready just like I wasn't decades ago. What, just eat regular meals? Are you crazy? I have to get THIN! And there are all these thin vegans with their own websites, donchya know.

I love someone who is willing to be in my "Let's Not Bake" club, otherwise known as let's not kid ourselves club. Yeah, I'm going to bake a cake and eat no batter nor frosting until the cake is made and served. And then I will have just one serving at a time. Even though I have binged on those foods and brownie batter and chocolate chip dough literally hundreds of times before. I used to feel bad that I couldn't conquer this but then I thought, who cares? I can buy a better cake than I can bake, it's more expensive to bake a lot of stuff than to buy it, and I'd rather put my skills towards a real food. Besides, I'm the only one in my house! If I had kids or grandkids, it might be different. I'll cross tht bridge if I come to it.

I never remember my mother baking cookies for us nor for the grandkids nor great grandkids and we/they all adored her.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Wed Mar 21, 2018 2:40 am

I've always known that I need to stop baking. Not once have I ever baked and been able to control myself. Never mind at least I can now enjoy other people's delicious baking. I'm looking forward to sharing a slice of lemon meringe pie with my partner this weekend from our favourite dessert cafe.

I really fell off the wagon over the last week because I keep seeing posts come up on my newsfeed on Facebook from a weight loss group I'm part of. All the success stories etc. It's not the worst diet ever, its mostly about clean eating, eating 6x a day, only eating wholegrain carbs etc. But it just makes me binge when I am jumping between that and No S.

So from now on I am only focussing on No S and I will unsubscribe to that weight loss group to prevent temptation.

I was also reading about French women and their habits yesterday which helps me to believe I can have white carbs and lose weight, as well as butter and fatty cuts of meat. I will just ensure I am having plenty of fruit and veg alongside it and using my 8.5 inch plates.

So far today I have really enjoyed what I have eaten

B- 2 buttered crumpets, greek yoghurt with berries and a drizzle of honey and coffee

L- omelette with mushroom, bell pepper, spinach, tomato, ham and cheese, slice of buttered toast and a nectarine

T- Roasted chicken drumstick, potato, sweet potato and carrot with steamed cabbage and spinach

Drinks: tea, coffee and 2.5L of lemon water

I have also brought a new stroller so I can take my son for walks on the days I don't work down by the river. I will still try to go to the gym at least 2 times a week just to do some weights as I don't want to waste my membership plus I do enjoy doing weights just not everyday.

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:31 am

Technically a red day but I'm not worried because it didn't lead to a binge like it normally would. I had a small handful of the kids chocolate malt balls.

B- crumpets with butter and greek yoghurt with berries and a drizzle of honey
L- honey mustard salmon, potato, cabbage and spinach + a plum
T- chorizo and white bean cassoulet, a slice of buttered sour dough and a handful of grapes

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:06 pm

Not going into binge mode is terrific progress, IMHO.

Just remember the odds are very much against those weight loss successes not gaining weight by the end of two years. Diets like those get harder to sustain because they usually start so drastically that there is no place to go when things slow down. Here, you adjust what moderation is over time, so there's usually a sense of cooperating with yourself rather than always being at war with appetite. Skirmishes, yes; war, no.

Man, those meals sound so-real! Awesome.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:11 am

Thanks Oolala.

A fair few of the people have maintained their weight but the food is fairly bland. My partner has thoroughly enjoyed our delicious full fat, flavourful meals, the last few days. He was beginning to tell me my cooking had gone down hill since I started that diet, especially since my cooking is usually pretty darn good.. The higher quality, tastier meals have been leaving me satisfied and i haven't felt hungry between meals.

B- sourdough toast with butter, Greek yogurt, berries and a drizzle of honey + a coffee (thinking of just having 1 slice of toast as I feel pretty stuffed with 2)
L- toasted foccacia with avocado, eggs, mushroom and half a roasted tomato + a nectarine
T- Italian sausage and broccoli orchiette pasta

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:08 am

Yesterday's food was

B- buttered crumpets, Greek yoghurt with berries and a drizzle of honey + coffee
L- Sandwich with avocado, ham, cucumber, cheese, rocket and mustard, carrot sticks and a nectarine
T- 2 homemade mini lamb, bacon and tomato pies, roast pumpkin and green beans (was amazing!)

Didn't end up getting my lemon meringue pie, instead I had gummy bear lollies and a strawberry thickshake, plus too many mini pkts of biscuits. Nevermind today is a new day. Not having any S's today. May have a hot chocolate later tonight though.

ladybird30
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Post by ladybird30 » Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:49 am

Ah, Australia, the land of wonderful lamb, raspberries, peaches, muscatels, mussels - to name just a few of the great fresh foods I've eaten in the last fortnight.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:33 am

Are you on holiday in Australia Ladybird? The food is pretty yummy here 😀

ladybird30
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Post by ladybird30 » Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:10 am

Just counting my blessings to be living in the Lucky country.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Mar 25, 2018 7:42 am

I have been lucky enough to live here for 5 years, we moved from New Zealand

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Mar 25, 2018 7:47 am

Happy with my S day after over indulging yesterday.

B- pb and jam on toast + coffee
L- leftover small lamb and bacon pie with roast pumpkin and an apple
T- homemade butter chicken, rice, naan and steamed broccoli and green beans

S treats an extra small bit of naan bread at dinner and a hot chocolate

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:09 pm

Hi there! Probably you've already written about this, but can you share with me your water-drinking strategies? I have a similar strategy, but the habits aren't there yet.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

ladybird30
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Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Tue Mar 27, 2018 2:42 am

I drink when I am thirsty.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

Friyay
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Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:16 pm

Post by Friyay » Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:36 am

automatedeating wrote:Hi there! Probably you've already written about this, but can you share with me your water-drinking strategies? I have a similar strategy, but the habits aren't there yet.
I'm curious what people do about water, too. Drinking fluids speeds up the rate at which your stomach empties, which means it makes your stomach rumble sooner.

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:30 am

Hi automated I just make myself scull 4 glasses of water a day which are tall 500ml ones. So 4 of them make up my 2 litres. I usually add a squeeze of lemon to the glass too. I usually have one around 10am, another with lunch, one in the afternoon and one with dinner. I sometimes have one after dinner too. I don't like water much either but the lemon water and forcing myself to scull a glass at allocated times definitely helps.

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:42 am

Yesterday was technically red but was an achievement especially as a binge eater. I ate 2 1/2 mini Easter eggs that my boys gave to me. I didn't end up going WTH and binging afterwards which I was happy about. Plus I had 2 have 2 dry crackers in the afternoon at work because I had low blood sugar and I work with babies so didn't want to feel light headed while carrying them around.

Today was green minus 1 mini Easter egg from a girl at work. Was the size of a square of chocolate. Didn't binge so another achievement. Plus had a work meeting until late tonight and didn't get takeout which I would normally do, came home and cooked a yummy dinner instead.

I also put my scales away the other day as I want to aim to weigh in monthly not daily and get obsessive about my weight. Right now my goal is to focus on having a healthy relationship with food, not an all or nothing mentality.

Today's food was

B- sourdough toast with butter and Greek yogurt with berries and honey + a coffee
L- avocado and eggs on toast + a green apple
T- chilli with heaps of veg in on rice, steamed zuchinni and a dollop of sour cream

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Tue Mar 27, 2018 3:47 pm

avocado on toast is one of my all-time favorite meals! :)

Thanks for the water explanation. I'm doing something similar, I think -- I drink a soluble fiber supplement in 500mL of water first thing (before I get to have coffee). But then it's hard to "time" it for the rest of the day. I just refill and try to finish that one before I can have lunch; then drink one before and after dinner. It's working OK, but it's not quite black & white enough for me to trust it will become habit.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Wed Mar 28, 2018 10:41 am

I find it hard to drink water when I'm working whereas at home it is a lot easier to just go to the kitchen and grab a glass full and scull it.
I still don't think I have the water drinking habit firmly in place yet as I have to remind myself to drink it. Hopefully one day it becomes second nature.

Green today

B- sourdough toast with butter and Greek yogurt with strawberries and a drizzle of pure maple syrup + coffee
L- leftover chilli with brown rice, mashed avocado and a sprinkle of cheese + grapes
T- honey soy chicken with rice, steamed zuchinni and carrot + a nectarine.
2.5L water + coffee and tea

Took my son for a walk in his pram for my exercise today.

Brought myself a chocolate bunny for Easter. I am planning on saving it for after dinner on Sunday because I know once I start eating it I will pick at extra chocolate throughout the day. Last Easter I ate far too much chocolate and would like to avoid that this year.

Friyay
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:16 pm

Post by Friyay » Thu Mar 29, 2018 4:46 am

Oh my, Easter candy. You're right, it's hard to resist. It's interesting to see the perspective of people who have been through it before--the big feast days on NoS.

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Thu Mar 29, 2018 10:52 am

Friyay Easter sent me well and truly off the rails last year, combined with my birthday a week later. I ended up going into a several month long binge and couldn't pull myself out of it. I gained a fair amount of weight but have lost most of it now (some without No S). I realised I was focusing too much on having perfect green days and making sure I ate cleanly which continued to make me fail and binge when I failed. Luckily I am taking a different approach and not making it so much about my weight this time or eating perfecly.

This is only in the last week or two that I have changed my mindset but it finally feels like something has clicked for me and that I will follow No S for the rest of my life, never to go on a silly diet again. I would rather maintain a steady weight and feel sane around food than diet and binge losing and gaining the same 20lbs over and over.

Sorry for the long reply 😀

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Thu Mar 29, 2018 11:03 am

Today was mostly green apart from one small chocolate. I ate it because I had opened it for my son and he didn't want it and I was starving right before dinner so ate it. But once again it didn't trigger a binge and that is a success to me. The 100 calories from one chocolate vs a 3000 calorie binge... I know which one I would rather take, so a definite achievement.

Food today:
B- buttered sour dough toast with vanilla Greek yogurt + coffee
L- Turkish roll with ham, cheese, tomato and garlic aioli and grapes
T- chicken fajitas with avocado and sour cream
+ Small chocolate

Lacking fruit today but it was grocery shopping day.

No exercise today as my son had a fever and I went to my older boys Easter parade. I picked up my new walking pram today so will take my younger son for a walk in it while the older two scooter tomorrow morning.

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sat Mar 31, 2018 1:03 am

So I usually take my S days on Friday and Saturday. I was going to try have Saturday and Sunday as my S days for the Easter weekend but couldn't resist the chocolate eggs any longer so had a handful of small eggs after dinner as my S treat yesterday. I felt very satisfied afterwards.

Today is my 2nd S day Saturday. I've decided not to take tomorrow as an S day even though it is Easter Sunday. We don't usually do anything to celebrate Easter anyway, the kids will just get their chocolate eggs which I won't be touching.

Yesterdays food was:

B- buttered sour dough toast with butter and vanilla Greek yogurt with peaches
L- leftover Mexican spiced chicken with brown rice, spinach, tomato and avocado + a plum
T- meatballs and rigatoni with capsicum, zuchinni and mushrooms in the sauce and steamed broccoli on the side

Also took my boys for a walk down by the river

Today's food

B - 2 hot cross buns with butter
L- a chocolate hot cross bun with butter + some of my chocolate bunny (so much for waiting until after dinner haha)
T- to be added, will be something with lots of veg

Took the boys for a walk down by the river this morning.

I now have a sugar headache and feel blah, but I am happily indulging guilt free for the first Easter ever. I can't wait for tomorrow's N day!

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:35 am

Hot cross buns. YUM

And 3 boys? Sheesh, you're a good woman.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:56 am

They certainly keep me busy automated!

I think I'm all hot cross bunned out haha. Yesterday was supposed to be an N day, but I don't know why I thought that was going to work with all the chocolate around me. I started the day with good intentions and even went for an hour long walk by the river with my partner and boys. Then I got home and started picking at the boys big bowl of broken up Easter eggs. I'm not too bothered by it though, I enjoyed my Easter and I love chocolate far too much to put a limit on it at Easter time.

Today was Green, now that the Easter chocolate is gone. Didn't get out for a walk as planned as my son was a bit upset due to still getting over a virus and just wanted cuddles.

Food today:

B- sourdough toast with butter and vanilla Greek yogurt and berries
L- sourdough toast with an egg and baked beans + a plum
T- curried sausages with rice and steamed green beans, carrot and spinach

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Tue Apr 03, 2018 8:35 am

S day for sick today. I have strep throat, feeling like I've been hit by a bus. Hopefully well enough tomorrow to stick to an N day.

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Fri Apr 06, 2018 8:07 pm

Over the years, I've discovered that Vanilla works very well on sick days, especially if I allow myself soup broth or miso soup any time.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Apr 08, 2018 8:07 am

I ended up needing an extra sick day. I pretty much stuck to my 3 meals anyway. Which mostly consisted of toast or crumpets. I was in bed with the worst migraine I've ever had, it lasted nearly 30 hours. Luckily my partner did everything for the kids and didn't have any work that day.

My S days were tame over the weekend, just had a few small brownies and then the next day just had one. We had a friend come over for dinner who brought them for dessert.

I have also paid for a program which is a whole lot of videos That a nutritionist had made about stopping the binge eating cycle and food guilt, labelling foods as good or bad. She used to suffer from binge eating, deprivation and food guilt for 10 years, and shares how over 4-5 years she ended up losing 20kg by making long lasting habits. She talks about trigger foods and environments and heaps of topics surrounding the dieting, binge, deprivation cycle. She talks about intuitive eating too but I still want to stick to the structure of No S as it works for me and I'm pretty sure I would give myself permission to eat whatever I wanted if I followed my hunger.
So far I'm really enjoying the videos and they get you thinking. She talks about learning from your binges and that you won't become binge free overnight, but you will slowly learn how to manage them better. I also like that she encourages throwing scales in the bin, which I have done. Also doing exercise you enjoy not do because it will help you lose weight. I've been enjoying my walks as they don't feel like a chore like going to the gym does.

Today the kids were fighting non stop from when they woke up and I was stressed this afternoon, so ate a handful of crackers and a few small biscuits but I stopped it there, realizing I was eating because I was stressed. I was tempted to continue the eating later in the day and get an ice cream, but I didn't do that was certainly an achievement.

Soprano
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Location: UK

Post by Soprano » Sun Apr 08, 2018 2:12 pm

3squaremeals wrote: Today the kids were fighting non stop from when they woke up and I was stressed this afternoon, so ate a handful of crackers and a few small biscuits but I stopped it there, realizing I was eating because I was stressed. I was tempted to continue the eating later in the day and get an ice cream, but I didn't do that was certainly an achievement.
That certainly is an a achievement, well done you :D

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Mon Apr 09, 2018 7:51 am

Thank you Soprano

Green today, was very close to caving in and getting a soft serve cone as I brought one for my son who has tonsillitis. Instead I thought if I still really want it I can have one on my S day.

B- peanut butter on light rye sourdough + Greek yogurt, honey and berries
L- split pea soup with a slice of grainy toast and an apple
T- pork and veg stir fry with rice

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Mon Apr 09, 2018 11:50 am

Wasn't today an S day? I mean, for the cone? Though if the only stimulus was the exposure, it might not have been very satisfying.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Mon Apr 09, 2018 9:00 pm

No yesterday was Monday. I usually take Fri and Saturday as my S days :)

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:21 am

Green day today. Yesterday was a day full of cravings. Last night after I posted, I had to go to the grocery store and get a few things, and I was craving something sweet. I was so tempted to get chocolate biscuits and just say stuff it. But instead I thought no it will just make me feel awful and guilty so I went home and made a small hot chocolate instead. I feel with the help of that binge eating program, it is definitely making me stop and think before I go and binge. I know this won't necessarily work every time but I am looking for improvement not perfection.

Today's food
B- buttered rye sour dough and Greek yogurt with berries and honey + coffee
L- avocado and tomato on multigrain toast and an apple
T- beef burrito with lots of veg

Looking forward to going for my walk tomorrow. I'm having to keep them no longer than 30 mins at the moment as my son is toilet training and by the time we drive there, walk then drive home again it is time for him to use the toilet again.

Syfy74
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Location: UK

Post by Syfy74 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:04 am

Hi 3squaremeals, it sounds like you did good yesterday, well done on holding off from the biscuits :-)
Amanda x
SW 11-7.8 6th Apr 18

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:16 am

Thanks syfy74 :)

Another green day today, although was quite a hungry day especially during the afternoon but I think it was due to the lack of protein in my lunch. I still stuck to my 3 meals though.

Went for a nice walk this morning and stopped at a cafe on the river where I had a small orange juice and the boys had a cookie.

Food today

B- buttered sour dough toast with yogurt and berries+ a coffee
L- spinach and ricotta pasta + an apple and carrot sticks
T- Thai fish curry on rice with lots of veg in it and steamed broccoli

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Apr 13, 2018 10:17 am

A nice tame S day today. Took the boys to the cinema and I got a chocolate and nut coated ice cream in a cone. Then we went to our friends house this afternoon and had some cheese, crackers and olives + 2 glasses of wine.

My meals were:
B- homemade coconut and nut granola with coconut yogurt and raspberries
L- kaleslaw, green beans, sweet potato and steak leftover from dinner last night + an apple
T- teriyaki salmon, roasted cauliflower and carrot with brown rice

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sat Apr 14, 2018 6:47 am

Haven't had an extras today but will be going out tonight with a friend for a fair few drinks. I only go out and drink a few times a year so will be enjoying myself tonight. My friend has just stopped breastfeeding too so I'm sure she is looking forward to having some wines too.

Food today

B- homemade coconut and nut granola with coconut yogurt
L- leftover teriyaki salmon, roast cauliflower, carrot with brown rice and spinach leaves + an apple
T- roast pork, crackling, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot and broccoli

Went for a big walk down by the river with my partner and the boys. My partner has decided he wants to eat healthier too and exercise with me when he isn't working which is great. So we have been having lots more veggies with meals. I have been making enough at dinner for lunches too so that is one less meal we have to think about preparing.

I've given up coffee too as I have been having stomach issues again and I think it could be the coffee rather than milk or gluten, as it has only been happening to the last couple of months and I've only started drinking coffee a couple of months ago too. So back to tea drinking again.

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Apr 15, 2018 12:20 pm

Had a great night last night had a few nibbles and about 5 drinks. There was lots of dancing too.

Today I did good until after dinner. I was unsatisfied with my dinner so started eating granola and then binged on some mini donuts. I have been doing well with avoiding binges but I think because I feel I'm not losing weight quickly I just said WTH tonight and ate crap food. It wasn't even satisfying. Not knowing what I weigh kind of stresses me out. I threw my scales out, but I'm so tempted to buy some more. Probably not a great idea for me though.

Today's food was

B- sausage and egg McMuffin muffin to cure the slight hangover
L- leftover pork, sweet potato, carrot, broccoli and some avocado + an apple
T- Italian sausages, brown rice and roasted peppers, zuchinni, pumpkin cubes and carrot with a bit of feta

Unneeded extras: granola and donuts

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Sun Apr 15, 2018 2:33 pm

You don't have to answer me, but I gently ask: what would you do differently that you think would be effective if you could weigh and you found out a) you had lost, or b) you hadn't lost? Did the scale ever improve your eating behavior for more than a day or two? (It rarely improved mine for more than a few hours. :cry: ) Or is it just a kind of familiar battleground of self aggrandizement/criticism you feel a little lost without? Maybe that's what's stressing you out?

I think one of the hurdles to get over in No S is what to do when I eat an unsatisfying meal. I've come to the conclusion that trying to fix that by eating is a nearly doomed strategy. Ironic, but true. And the brain eating circuits will use any excuse it can to get me to get back calories the brain misses, but it won't deliver a very convincing cut off point marker. It's not that interested in one. The big I (PFC me) has to be interested for it. I see the bigger picture!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:22 am

Gahhh what a shocking week of binging it has been which has lead to me looking at meal replacement diets. My partner is doing low carb at the moment and is having fast weight loss which is making me feel like I'm missing out on the excitement of fast weight loss I guess. But I know diets don't work for me so I just need to focus on getting back on habit. Because of the binging I have been feeling really hungry between meals, then I cave in and binge. I will focus on lots of water and tea and coffee when I'm feeling hungry tomorrow as I really need to get my body back to being satisfied on 3 meals again.

Thanks Oolala, I ended up buying scales mostly due to my partner wanting them due to dieting. No they haven't improved my eating at all, possibly made it worse. But think my eating has been down to my partner dieting and me researching diets. Plus I tried to eat 'cleaner' which I think triggered the start of the binging. Back to eating what I enjoy! I refuse to give up on No S as I do not want to be yo-yo dieting for years to come.

ladybird30
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Post by ladybird30 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:16 pm

Hi 3squaremeals,

I hesitate to offer advice about not bingeing - even though it is a year since I stopped, the urge is still lurking at the back of my brain. But there are some things that I think have helped.

I know that long term weight loss depends on not bingeing. So stopping that is a higher priority than short term weight loss.

When I stopped bingeing, I made sure that I ate big meals, and didn't worry about my weight for a while. After a few weeks, it was easier to reign in my meal size. I keep to 3 meals a day and no snacks on the weekends, as this is easier for me.

If I started having cravings or thoughts about bingeing or started eyeing off junk food when I was shopping, I ate more (nutritious food) for the next few meals until the urge went away. I think this was very important for me. Once again, stopping bingeing was much more important than temporary weight fluctuations.

I don't keep trigger foods in the house. And if I find that a treat sets off an increased desire to eat, I tend to be very careful of how much I eat of that food.

I try hard not to take that first bite, so the No S rules about not eating outside meal times and not having seconds are pretty important to me. I still have seconds sometimes, because having enough at meals is an important anti binge measure for me.

I did find in my bingeing days that keeping a relaxed attitude and not getting upset about my behaviour (hard I know) did help limit the duration of bad days.

My weight has gradually come down in the last year, and my current plateau is far preferable to the rebound bingeing that happened last time I was at this weight.

All the best. I'm sure you will get back on track. Ladybird.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

3squaremeals
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:14 pm

Thanks for your advice ladybird. I was looking up food addiction and binge eating last night after I posted on here and how they treat it. Which is to cut out wheat and sugar and pretty much eat whole unprocessed foods. Brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, fruits, veg, full fat dairy, meats, good fats such as olive oil, coconut oil and butter. I know some people may be sceptical about this approach and think moderation is better but I am thinking this may be good for me once I get over the initial cravings. I want to try giving up wheat anyway for my digestive issues that I find get so much worse after my binges which are wheat based food.

I'm not sure I could completely give up these things forever so would still have a cupcake or slice of cake on mine, my partners and kids birthdays and something sweet on Xmas day. I did read about another No S'er not having S days every weekend too who had issues with binge eating. I don't know if it will work but I am willing to give it a go. Please no judgement, I really don't want to confuse my already confused mind haha. I will keep you all updated with how I go. I am completely going against what I said in my previous post but after doing some research I would like to give it a go.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:35 pm

May I ask how seriously overweight you are? tx
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sat Apr 21, 2018 1:40 am

Currently my bmi is 28.4

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sat Apr 21, 2018 2:47 am

It's so hard to know what approach to take as there is so much conflicting advice out there. Some people say to not obsess about sugar and still allow yourself treats and then others say don't have sugar at all. I do think having 2 S days with no additional mods is too much for people who have problems with binging. What is your advice Oolala as i know you have a fair amount of knowledge in this area?

Soprano
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Post by Soprano » Sat Apr 21, 2018 5:23 am

Bingeing is a difficult thing to deal with but it can be mastered :)

Sugar can have quite an impact but I don't believe a lifetime ban is needed to overcome it. These days most of the time I can quite easily say no to stuff and not feel any deprivation. It's only during stressful situations that I might use it as a crutch but it is soon over.

Be kind to yourself and take it one day at a time. I reckon if you are really struggling with this if you can manage 3 sugar free days your blood sugar will get to a point where it is not a physical craving. You might still have an emotional craving which needs addressing though.

No s seems to me to be a great way to stop weight increasing binges, stick with it and accept you may have a lot to sort out before you will lose weight.

Some good advice from Ladybird

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Post by 3squaremeals » Thu Apr 26, 2018 1:02 am

Thank you for your advice Soprano. It is good to hear about others experiences with binge eating.

I managed to have a binge free day yesterday which is a big achievement lately.

I have got a plan in place with some basic rules/mods
I have decided not to cut out wheat or sugar, instead I will aim to eat more unprocessed foods - lots of fruit, veg, wholegrains, full fat dairy, meats, eggs, legumes etc
I will have one S day per week where I have one S event and will buy something I really want and will enjoy most likely a dessert plus I will have whole wheat pancakes for breakfast with some maple syrup
I can snack on fruit and veg if I am starving between meals, more so while my stomach gets used to having 3 meals a day again.

I want to focus on being healthy and feeling in control around food, I need to take my focus away from losing weight because it will happen once I start treating my body properly.

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Thu Apr 26, 2018 1:33 am

I'm glad you opted for something less militant than the no sugar/no wheat camp. (Was it Bright Line Eating? Oy.) This doesn't mean at some point you may decide to nix them or that it wouldn't actually be a good idea to live with very little or none of either, but I think that should happen only under certain circumstances. IMHO, you're not there yet.

Unless you have diabetes, your BMI just doesn't seem high enough to warrant drasticity. (I made that up.) Not that weight is the sole determinant of the seriousness of a bingeing problem. There are some quite normal-sized women who live miserably caught in the vicious circle.

I was just browsing a book on the subject- no, I won't tell you the title: just do No S for now!. She said something I've said many times, though it's not my original idea, either. That is that you can have binges and still be getting over the habit at the same time. The corollary is that any one binge is not a sign of complete failure and thus a reason to quit. This is the actual attitude most problem drinkers have to develop to get over booze. In the said book, she had a nice graphic contrasting a time/weight loss record. On the left was what everyone wants, a straight line from high weigh to low weight. On the right was reality. It was the same graph but with squiggly lines going all around up and down and backward with the whole mess slowly getting down to the right.

Part of the problem is that it takes only a few minutes or hours to read a description of someone's process and the program s/he comes up with, but that always represents months or years of their time. And it will need months and years of anyone's time to change their weight for the long run. As Reinhard says, before and during.

Now you're in the during stage. It doesn't end, but it can get a lot more fun.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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Post by ladybird30 » Thu Apr 26, 2018 7:55 am

oolala53 wrote:
In the said book, she had a nice graphic contrasting a time/weight loss record. On the left was what everyone wants, a straight line from high weigh to low weight. On the right was reality. It was the same graph but with squiggly lines going all around up and down and backward with the whole mess slowly getting down to the right.
The latter would be a fair description of my weight trajectory over the past 17 years. None the less, I am still 20 lbs lighter than my all time high, enough to make a considerable difference to my well being.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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Post by oolala53 » Sat Apr 28, 2018 4:24 pm

It surely does.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Wed Jun 27, 2018 4:21 pm

It's been a couple of months. Is no news good news? Everything sailing along with little thought? Even if not, hope to see you for a check-in soon.
Last edited by oolala53 on Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Jun 29, 2018 9:53 am

Hi Oolala

I was just looking at NoS again and came across your post. I keep getting drawn back to No S as I like the simplicity of it. I am over trying to eat my healthy snacks that still leave me hungry anyway namely carrot sticks and hummus and Greek yoghurt. I am also over trying to keep within my calories. I even tried a week of Paleo which caused me to binge on carbs by the end of the week. I'm starting No S again tomorrow. I just have to hope one day it clicks and I can gradually eliminate the binges.

I plan on reading the book again, any other advice you have is welcome 😀

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:57 pm

It's my stock advice.

Admit that bingeing actually brings some pleasure and list all the ways you actually like it.


Write what you hate about it.

Write the advantages of doing the work to get over it

This is new: think ahead of time how you will talk to yourself in moments of temptation in a way that maximizes the negatives and regret that comes. Then realize that you could keep eating and put up with the suffering later, but you actively choose not to do it. (Gillian Riley claims that research shows that making the consciously reprogams the brain but blindly following a rule doesn't. Im not sure that's completely true, but I think the truth is tipping in her direction.

And after you choose, divert to something pleasurable or productive.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:46 am

Thanks for the advice Oolala

After lots of thinking and reading including the Bright line book. I am eliminating flour and sugar from my diet while sticking to the 3 meal a day structure. I'm not willing to let binge eating control my life any more. Some may think it is a drastic approach but I need to take control of my eating as it is ruining my life, consuming my daily thoughts, making me awful to live with no doubt ruining my health too, especially with my high risk of developing diabetes.

I am not going to strictly follow the Bright line approach. I will be adding 1/2-1 c of starch at lunch and dinner such as brown rice or quinoa, also I won't be weighing my non starchy veg, just making sure I don't eat more than what fits on my plate

I am not doing this for weight loss, I am doing it because I'm sick of feeling so low and out of control with my eating. S days don't work for me. I like the structure of 3 meals a day but I can never get back on track after S days, I continue to crave sugar and refined carbs like crazy.

I'm looking forward to this and can't wait to see if this works for me. Although I am going overseas in 5 weeks to stay with family so that will be interesting, although I can't eat gluten anyway as it upsets my stomach so that will eliminate a fair few foods that I won't have to explain why I'm not eating them. I will try to check in each day to track how I'm going.

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Mon Jul 02, 2018 3:22 am

A worthy experiment.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:51 am

Thank you. I am definitely interested to see how it pans out, have you ever tried cutting sugar and flour before you found NoS Oolala?

The last 2 days have been pretty good, minus the lingering dull headache which should pass in a day or 2. Not feeling too hungry apart from after breakfast but I'm thinking that it is the oatmeal as oatmeal has never made me last more than 2-3 hours. Will try eggs and avocado for breakfast tomorrow instead.

Yesterday's food:
B- oatmeal with 1/2 a banana and strawberries + a c of milk
L- tofu stirfry and an apple
T- beef meatballs, baked sweet potato, lots of broccoli and some aioli

Today's food:
B- oatmeal with 1/2 a banana and strawberries + a c of milk and some chia seeds
L- salmon, stirfried veg, brown rice and an apple
T- Moroccan seasoned chicken thigh, baked carrot, beets, pumpkin and broccoli

I'm not following the exact quantities for the Bright line guidelines but I have a rough guide of 1 c cooked grains or carby veg, unlimited non starchy veg, I do follow the 4oz of meat or tofu and 1T fat. There is no way I want to weigh every single gram of my meal for the rest of my life, however I do need to draw the line at no sugar or flour as I believe those are addictive to me. Maybe one day I may be able to have a slice of cake at a birthday party and not lose control but not at this stage but if I have a long enough streak without binging I may be too scared to relapse by eating sugar or flour again. I guess I will cross that bridge if and when I come to it.

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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Jul 02, 2018 3:04 pm

Great idea on cutting out sugar. It has so many health risks associated with it. I bet you’ll feel a lot better too.

You’re food looks delicious. Best of luck!

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Tue Jul 03, 2018 10:18 am

Thank you Linda. Yes and I definitely find it makes me crave it so much more when I do eat it and I certainly don't want to end up with diabetes either!

Today has been pretty good although my son had some cake leftover that he took to daycare to celebrate his birthday (his actual birthday is tomorrow but he will be home). I gave the boys some and then threw the rest in the bin so it doesn't tempt me. I need to make his actual birthday cake tonight which is going to be tough as I'm feeling hungry due to not having any carbs at dinner.

Today's food:
B- 2 eggs and avocado + a small bowl of strawberries
L- stirfried tofu, veg and brown rice
T- Greek chicken meatballs, salad and tzatziki

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Tue Jul 03, 2018 7:05 pm

I cling stubbornly to the idea that I can mostly eyeball my servings. Sometimes I go ahead and measure with a cup. But if I can't do it while traveling to some place that I have to ride for several hours on a little bus on a dusty road to get to, I'm not going to commit to it.

You' have some beautiful guidelines to experiment with for quite awhile before you decide you need anything else. Excelsior!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
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Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Wed Jul 04, 2018 1:12 pm

Thanks Oolala, I'm feeling really positive these changes will help me be sane around food again!

I'm feeling pretty darn happy with myself after not tasting any cake or frosting while baking it last night and when everyone else ate it today. I don't feel deprived at all I feel good, no sugar crashes to deal with or guilt from consuming most of the cake myself.

I have found my hunger is very manageable since my blood sugar isn't crashing from the constant snacking or eating sugar. I even got to 2pm today before I felt hungry for lunch. Didn't end up eating until 3 though as we were out and about buying a new fridge.

Food today:
B- Oatmeal made with milk, almond butter, apple and cinnamon- This combo kept me going for ages. I think the fat in the full cream milk and almond butter helped.
L- 2 eggs, 1/2 an avocado and tomato
T- Morrocan tofu, roasted sweet potato, green bell pepper, onion, and sauteed kale + a tahini dressing

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Thu Jul 05, 2018 1:00 pm

Pretty good day minus eating too many olives and cheese tonight. Had guests over tonight and had a cheese platter out. I resisted for quite awhile and then thought I would just have an olive and a piece of cheese, but it turned into a few too many pieces of cheese and olives. I didn't break the rules but I didn't feel in control around it once I started. I ended up having some more cheese once the guests left, then threw the rest in the bin so it didn't turn into a binge. Lesson learned- next time don't touch the snacks!!

Food today:
B- oatmeal made with milk, peaches and coconut
L- leftover tofu, roast sweet potato, onion, green bell pepper and sauteed kale with a lemon tahini dressing
T- steak, sweet potato mash, onions, mushrooms and green beans
S- cheese and olives

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Fri Jul 06, 2018 8:19 am

Good day today. Been busy clothes shopping, got myself some new jeans and knitwear. It was long over due as I had been putting off buying clothes until I was at my 'ideal' weight. But I needed to get some decent clothes to wear on my holiday in 4 weeks. I managed to squeeze myself into some US size 8 jeans which made me happy and they are super comfy.

Food was:
B- Oatmeal made with milk, peaches and coconut- my favorite at the moment tastes like dessert
L- stirfried veg, 2 eggs, brown rice and strawberries
T- salmon, baked sweet potato, broccoli and wilted spinach

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Fri Jul 06, 2018 9:31 pm

You are at your ideal weight right now. In a few months, you might be at a different ideal weight. :wink:

Dressing nice for right now is a good habit that pays off now and later.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Sat Jul 07, 2018 7:36 am

I definitely feel much better wearing nice clothes. I also have to realise that having my ideal body shape is the least important thing right now, my relationship with food is the absolute number one priority, and that body shape I am after will come one day once my relationship with food is repaired.

I am also debating whether or not to allow myself to have 1-2 slices of dark rye bread per day as it widens my breakfast options. I know it is technically flour but I have never once binged on dark rye bread. I don't know if I quite agree that all flour is addictive like the Bright Line book states. I think wholemeal flour and white flour based products cause me to binge when I eat those e.g pasta, pizza and regular bread. Which I would continue to avoid and I definitely know I need to avoid sugar for good, and am already feeling so much better for. I guess it is all about trial and error and finding out what works best for me. I think I will try it and if I feel it is a slippery slope, then I will give up the rye bread again.

Today's food
B- oatmeal made with milk and banana, strawberries and coconut
L- eggs, avocado, bacon, tomato, spinach and mushrooms
T- 1 Italian sausage, roasted beets, carrot, smashed garlic and parmesan potato and steamed broccoli.

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Sun Jul 08, 2018 5:10 pm

Not to undermine the good BLE can do, but I once filled out the susceptibility in several different ways, claiming at one point that I had NEVER had any of the problems asked about. It DID say then that I had a risk of 1, but I STILL got offered the 14-day plan.

I also one day heard Susan say that she did eat a piece of bread or something and was so surprised that it didn't flood her with cravings.

I actually don't completely question the addictive properties. I question the tactics for managing them. I know from reading a bit more widely than many on dealing with addictive drugs that abstinence is not the only effective strategy, nor even the most effective one, though the you-know-what community sells it pretty hard. In the wider therapeutic community, it is thought that there is only a small faction of extremely serious true alcoholics who are absolutely going to need abstinence fast and permanently, and with a lot of intervention. The majority are what they call problem drinkers and respond a lot more successfully with counseling to keep supporting the persons efforts by continuing to work with non-abstinent drinkers and encouraging them to keep concentrating on the price they are paying for their drinking. A fair number decide to give the drug up completely but some don't and still manage to negotiate a functional life.

Admittedly, this is not true of users in the poorer echelons of society. But that's true of many issues in their lives, and why some in the field feel it is a gross misuse of resources to not to concentrate more on those who really face a more difficult climb out of the abyss. That's one reason I like No S so much. Just about anybody could benefit from it, even if it wouldn't get them thin. It would still take challenging a lot of momentum in their habits, though.

However I have have accepted that what I call "particle foods" are not very natural to the body and make overeating a lot easier. Wheat does seem to have a greater impact. I believe it might not be such a burden if white bread weren't such an ubiquitous choice and so cheap, but that isn't likely to change soon. I rarely buy bread for home anymore, even the whole grain versions; that way, I feel I can eat it at restaurants where the options are few. And it helps that I don't eat out much.

I didn't meant to hijack your thread! Nor to end up having you delay finding a best practice for yourself. It isn't as if there aren't starchy options.
Last edited by oolala53 on Sat Jul 14, 2018 2:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

3squaremeals
Posts: 291
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Australia

Post by 3squaremeals » Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:09 pm

Thank you Oolala, I always love having you share your knowledge. Yesterday I spent the day going through my video tutorials again from the nutritionist who used to suffer from binge eating. She actually says the opposite to the BLE program and that you should allow yourself your trigger foods but in company or public where you can't binge on them. She recommends eating balanced nourishing meals with good fats, wholegrains and lean protein which I am currently doing, also not weighing yourself, as the focus is to repair your relationship with food not worry about weight loss. She is also about intuitive eating which I somewhat agree with but I prefer the structure of 3 meals a day because otherwise I think I would think every little hunger pain meant I needed to eat.

So I have sort of got my own plan now that works with No S and the advice of the nutritionist. I will eat 3 nourishing meals a day and allow myself treats in public or in company. I do feel I have benefitted from reading the BLE book also and will continue to leave sugar out of my cups of tea and off my oatmeal. But I will allow myself to have a dessert if I'm out for dinner or some chocolate at the movie theatre. I won't have set S days. Just if the occasion arises I will have an S event. I think life is to short to never have treats.

I am actually taking my boys to see a movie today and will have a small chocolate bar and a small packet of chips.

I'm feeling less worried about going on holiday now, i was stressing about making excuses for not being able to eat sugar or wheat. I don't think I could live my life forever according to the BLE standards. I don't think my binge eating is extreme enough to warrant those kind of restrictions and I'm only classed as overweight not obese With a BMI of 27.5. So I will give this new moderation approach a go and see where I end up.

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Mon Jul 09, 2018 9:35 am

Enjoyed my yummy treats at the movie today. I ended up not being hungry for breakfast so just had a cup of tea. Our movie started at 10.30am and I knew I had food for that so just ended up not eating before we left.

Today's food
Very late breakfast at lunch time: Poke bowl with brown rice, carrot, corn, lettuce, avocado, cucumber, red bell pepper, edamame and sashimi salmon
Lunch/afternoon tea- banana and a handful of walnuts
T- pan fried fish, mashed sweet potato, green beans and corn on the cob
S treats at the cinema- malteasers small pkt and small pkt of chips

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:22 am

Another good day today

B- Slice of rye toast with avocado and 2 eggs + some strawberries
L- salad with spinach leaves, roast pumpkin, pearl cous cous and toasted pepitas and feta with a drizzle of balsalmic glaze + 2 small mandarins
T- lemon and herb chicken thighs, roast sweet potato, white potato and carrot + steamed broccoli
Also ate a banana before dinner because I felt nauseous and had a headache. I will always allow myself fruit if I get too hungry

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Wed Jul 11, 2018 9:50 pm

Another good day yesterday.

Food:
B- avocado and 2 eggs on a piece of rye toast + a small banana
L- homemade satay fried rice with egg using brown rice and lots of veg + 2 small mandarins
T- Greek lamb meatballs, tzatziki, salad made with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, red onion, yellow bell pepper, carrot and feta cheese + a wholegrain tortilla baked in the oven to make it crunchy- was so yummy
Also had a few dates with almond butter before I went to my class at the gym

3squaremeals
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Post by 3squaremeals » Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:53 am

Food today

B- oatmeal made with milk and peaches, topped with toasted seeds and coconut
L- satay fried rice with brown rice, egg and lots of veg
T- steak, mashed sweet potato, corn on the cob, steamed green beans and red cabbage
S- chocolate bar and cherries- was a planned S as I do my groceries and buy my kids a chocolate bar. I usually don't allow myself to have one and then end up binging on toast and biscuits, whatever I can find in the cupboards. So today I let myself choose one and enjoyed it without binging. I certainly believe what the nutritionist says about depriving leading to binge eating. I'm enjoying the flexible S events and am not feeling deprived so far.

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Sat Jul 14, 2018 7:01 am

Did you by any chance sign up for the BLE newsletter?
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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