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Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:25 am
by 3squaremeals
No I haven't subscribed to the newsletter I don't think. Although I think I seen a BLE email in my spam folder. I will go back and check.

So i have been doing pretty well with moderation but I have found since I have been including sugar again my cravings are back and I am even embarrassed to admit I binged on chocolate and bread tonight. I'm thinking maybe going back to the BLE approach with going cold turkey on sugar would be a good idea. I'm not sure at this stage. I found i didn't even crave it when I was off it for that short time but as soon as I started eating sugary treats again the cravings started to creep back in. It is hard when there is so much conflicting information out there.

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 10:59 am
by 3squaremeals
Well I have been back to binging on sugar badly the last 2 nights as well. I think the only solution to this is to cut sugar again. It really is addictive to me. I really wish I would stop thinking I can be moderate with sugar. Despite the nutritionist's advice, I do not think moderation is a good idea, nor do I think it works for me. I need clear cut rules aka 'bright lines' in which I know I have to abide by.

So below are my Bright lines:
3 meals a day with a balanced approach including fats, complex carbs such as brown rice, dark rye bread, sweet potato and oats and protein. I won't be measuring but about 1 c carbs, palm size amount of protein, lots of veg
No sugar- very minimal amounts in a sauce or dressing are ok but any other sources are to be avoided.
No refined flours/wheat such as crackers, biscuits, white or wholemeal bread, pizza, pancakes, baked items, white rice, tortillas, pasta, chips, fries.
Alcohol ok at special occasions- I never drink at home, usually only drink a few times a year.

This starts first thing tomorrow morning. I'm not looking forward to the withdrawal symptoms but I am looking forward to feeling good and not having constant sugar cravings again.

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:57 am
by 3squaremeals
I'm back, clearly the bright lines didn't work for me. For some reason I expect perfection with my eating and if I don't comply to my perfectionist rules, then I binge.

Back to No S for the 1000th time. Maybe one of these days I will learn to stop being a perfectionist with my eating as it just makes me get fatter.

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 1:41 am
by ladybird30
I have bright lines, but they are very simple. The No S rules about snack, sweets, and seconds. And some highly processed foods are in the "not food" category for me.

As for the rest, I eat whatever home cooked meal I feel like. Most of my meals are balanced and nutritious. But if I feel like eating nothing but a big plate of mostly starch, or hoeing into a block of cheese, I do so. Compared to how I used to eat, I am way ahead.

Trying to complicate my eating rules, even if it is for health or digestive reasons, makes me feel rebellious and have binge thoughts.

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 2:51 am
by 3squaremeals
I do definitely need some rules and guidelines but not as rigid as they were. I want to stick to mostly wholegrains but I still want to enjoy one sweet a week on my 1 S day. I find 2 S days sends me well off track. I will stick to the No snacks and No seconds on my S day to keep the structure. I will enjoy a yummy dessert on a Saturday night that I have brought or gone out to eat.

I just wish I could get the calorie counting mentality out of my head, as I try to add up my meals in my head and feel guilty if I ate too many, then go and binge.

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:22 pm
by 3squaremeals
Today is my 1st day back on No S. I am going to start doing habitcal again for my eating and also exercise. I have an exercise routine I have put together which is just lunges, squats, press ups, tricep dips etc. My gym membership expires in a month which I won't be renewing as I want something I can do anywhere and anytime. My partner may be going away for 6 months at some stage next year, so I won't be able to get to the gym. So a home workout will be ideal. I will also go walking on the days I don't work. My minimum compliance however will be my home workout every N day.

I just love the freedom of the No S diet and how it is designed to be life friendly, unlike diets, counting calories and gruelling workouts at the gym. This is why I keep coming back to it. I know it would work really well for me, I just have to stick to the simple habits.

Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:46 am
by oolala53
If I may, just keep reminding yourself of the misery of your slave-to-S's habits. No S is a reasonable way to manage the onslaught of food! Give yourself credit for EVERY meal-gap you make it through on the way to the whole day. Eat the meal and take care of other business in between!

Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:00 am
by 3squaremeals
Thank you Oolala. I need to also stop looking for the next best diet plan to follow too and just purely focus on No S. When I feel like giving up I need to remember that I do not want to count calories, cut food groups out, avoid or dread social events for the rest of my life so No S is the only way!

I also like what you said about taking care of business in between. When I allow myself to become bored I either eat or go searching out a new diet that will magically make me skinny in 2 weeks.

Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 10:24 am
by 3squaremeals
Green today. It was actually nice to look forward to dinner time tonight. Usually I am full from snacking/binging all afternoon.

B- granola, greek yoghurt, strawberries and blueberries
L- burrito
T- sticky Asian pork meatballs, rice, broccoli and carrot

E- 50 minute walk

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2018 10:17 am
by 3squaremeals
Green again today. Was busy at work which helped the time go fast between meals. Had Mc Donald's for dinner as my partner promised the kids they could get it for being good. I didn't have soft drink, had a Big Mac and a handful of fries. I felt like going WTH I have eaten Mc Donald's so I should just keep eating but I didn't, so I am happy with that.

B- 2 eggs, slice of toast and avocado
L- vegetarian lasagna and pineapple
T- Big Mac and fries
E- 15 minutes of lunges, squats, press ups, tricep dips etc

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2018 2:44 pm
by oolala53
Kudos on a moderate Mickey D meal!

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 2:13 am
by ladybird30
That counts as a success to me.

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 11:08 am
by 3squaremeals
Thanks Oolala and ladybird

Green today, although I struggled tonight with hunger, I just had a cup of tea which helped a bit.

B- 2 eggs and avocado on toast with a sprinkling of feta
L- vegan black bean enchiladas and an apple
T- chicken, sweet potato, green beans and corn on the cob

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 1:14 am
by 3squaremeals
Ahh I'm struggling so much with cravings at the moment. Darn PMS. Only 45 minutes until lunch time. I can do it!

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 5:17 am
by 3squaremeals
Well I made it until after lunch but my lunch was so unsatisfying due to needing to do a food shop and throwing something together. I ended up binging on random crap out the cupboard which was also unsatisfying. I also had a chocolate bar and a cookie which I brought at the grocery store today. They tasted sickly sweet and totally unenjoyable.

I'm really annoyed with myself but PMS really makes me crave sweet food. The cravings felt unbearable so I gave in. Anyway I guess there is no point beating myself up about it, I will just move on and get back on track from right now.

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 7:51 pm
by oolala53
No beating allowed.

Nice to have satisfying meals, but it's also good not to depend on them. I'm grappling with that a bit now.

We'll probably both get chances to practice this more. :wink:

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:19 am
by 3squaremeals
Very true Oolala but I do find it helps me to stay on track in the beginning. I ended up doing a big cook up and freezing meals for lunch so I don't get to lunch time and spend half an hour looking in the cupboard deciding what to eat and then eating something that doesn't satisfy me. I made black bean enchiladas, vegetarian lasagna, healthy satay fried rice using brown rice and lots of veg and some veggie egg muffins type things.

I haven't been on track the last few days or today as I had leftover baking, some healthy raw Snickers bar type things. Not healthy if you eat most of the batch to yourself though! Starting fresh tomorrow as I will be at work and distracted from the kitchen!
I just need to throw all my baking ingredients out and stop making excuses or pretending I am able to control myself when I bake. That never happens.

I also need to just deal with the uncomfortable first week as my body gets used to not being flooded with sugar everyday. It will be hard but it should only get easier from there.

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 7:38 am
by Soprano
Strong hormone driven cravings are difficult, sometimes planning in advance how you are going to deal with them helps.

If that involves eating something sweet the fact it was a planned action can stop it turning into a mental fail and thus it doesn't spiral outmof control.

Jx

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 2:47 pm
by oolala53
Oh, yeah, I had (and have) the basics for meals most of the time. I'm too impatient to make whole recipes! Hat is off to the real cooks. I add commercial sauces- I look for ones with the simplest ingredients and use just enough for flavor- when I assemble the meal. Most take 10-15 minutes. (I don't use a microwave.) I never would have made it cooking the meal up on the spot most of the time.

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:29 pm
by automatedeating
I think throwing out the baking stuff is actually a really good idea. Or.....just cut the recipe in 1/2 and acknowledge you're going to eat all of it on your S Days! :-)

I think once you get used to not having sugar on a regular basis the cravings during PMS will also become relatively less horrible.

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 10:33 pm
by 3squaremeals
Thanks for your support everyone.

Automated, I have to agree that once my body gets used to not having as much sugar it definitely doesn't crave it as much during that time of the month. I think the more sugar you consume the more cravings you get and the more sugar you need to get that sweet fix. I also think my best best to keep me off the crazy sugar rollercoaster where I binge on it and then crave it the next day is to just buy a single portion of dessert and have that and be done with it. A non diet nutritionist i speak to also recommends to keep binge foods out of the house and go out for dessert or ice cream, that way you aren't missing out but you are less likely to binge at home.

Today I really need to focus on just making it from breakfast to lunch then lunch to dinner and no overthinking my food choices! I eat healthy apart from my binges so I know I will lose weight if I just stick to the No S principles. I may just need a lot of hot drinks to get my through the first week. I don't have sugar in my tea and coffee so it should be fine.

Here's a list for me to come back to of other non weight related reasons to stick with No S

The anxiety and depression around my binge eating and how to stop will be minimised
My bloating and sore stomach will go away
I will be a nicer person to be around and I won't be constantly stressed out by my daily binge eating.
Less chance of the high cholesterol returning if it hasn't already. Also less chance of getting type 2 diabetes.

It is so hard to not focus on my weight when I am miserable from it, it is warming up now which means I can't cover up as well and it is stressing me out. I guess I've spent the last 15 years hating my body, what is one more Summer of being miserable going to matter if I have sanity around food for the rest of my life. If I am patient the weight loss will follow. I am so focused on the now, that I forget about the future.

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2018 3:14 am
by 3squaremeals
I have also had another skim read over the No S book which has been good.

My 2 focuses for now are:
Stick to the No S habits- don't worry about what I eat at those 3 meals or whether everything is wholegrain, unprocessed etc. This means I won't be recording what I eat so I can't overanalyze everything I ate that day.
No weighing in for the first month or two to prevent me throwing in the towel because the weight isn't coming off fast enough.

Feeling positive I can adopt these changes and habits

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:40 am
by ladybird30
Good luck. Hot weather and overweight are a miserable combination.

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2018 7:49 am
by 3squaremeals
Thank you Ladybird. It certainly isn't a good combination. Although I'm used to suffering through summer wearing long pants, it's not something I want to deal with again.

Today was Green. A bit of hunger this afternoon so I had a coffee and cleaned out the boys clothes which distracted me.

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:30 pm
by Soprano
3squaremeals wrote:I have also had another skim read over the No S book which has been good.

My 2 focuses for now are:
Stick to the No S habits- don't worry about what I eat at those 3 meals or whether everything is wholegrain, unprocessed etc. This means I won't be recording what I eat so I can't overanalyze everything I ate that day.
No weighing in for the first month or two to prevent me throwing in the towel because the weight isn't coming off fast enough.

Feeling positive I can adopt these changes and habits
Sounds like a plan, good luck

Jx

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:03 pm
by oolala53
I gave up baking sweets years ago. I was tired of trying to prove to myself I could do it and then being wrong. (I shouldn't judge for others, but I have seen on Spark that so many women seem to be kidding themselves about why they love to bake. It gives them an opportunity to overeat!) Sure, there are slim women who love to bake, but we are not them. It is SO easy to buy baked goods if I want them, and they aren't even that much more expensive. Increasing my skills making foods that are much harder to find seems like a better use of my time and energy.

Having much more control over my daily compulsive eating was the real reward when I started. That and that I felt so much better. It is so hard to work on the disorder issues at the same time as weight loss. I gently suggest you give yourself the time to get into a rhythm of getting fed regularly. If you can let yourself feel successful at something smaller, but that you also have some respect for, you can build on it.

It helped me to also work from two sides in another way: get from meal to meal, day to day, AND imagine how much better things would be months or a year from now doing what I needed to do. I could not GET to a year if I didn't make it a priority to get some N streaks under my belt. And I couldn't get them if I let the witching hour in the afternoon defeat me when it was happening. I had to say NO then, when it was hard. And it WAS (and sometimes is) hard. But ALWAYS worth it.

I want to gently say something about the legs issue. I went back to see what kind of weight we are talking about. Back when, you said you wanted to lose 22 lbs. but that even 15 would be good. Honestly, how bad can your legs be with only that much weight to lose? What standard are you using to judge your legs and whose approval are you longing for? If you never had any idea who might be judging your legs, were able to go out, be cooler, enjoy the sun, do whatever it is you do when you go out, talk and joke with others, laugh, see sights, hear sounds, wouldn't that be fine? Do you believe there is someone important you might meet who you would miss out on knowing because you didn't meet her/his standard for legs? We spend SO much time worrying about the admiration of strangers for things that have little to do with our real security. (I am writing this because I have issues with my appearance, but not over weight. I'm sure if I told you what they are, you would be telling ME they are not enough to worry about. I have not been able to stop my thoughts, but I work hard not to let them control my social behavior.)

I remember once when I was in my mid thirties, when I was hovering around 5-10 lbs more than I weigh now, BEFORE I went on to gain 40 lbs., I had lost some weight. My older sister was visiting. As women are wont to do, I was saying optimistically that I wanted to lose more weight. My sister said I shouldn't put a lot of pressure on myself. I freaked out. I said, "What are you talking about? LOOK at this!" I actually unzipped my pants, pulled them down, grabbed my saddlebags and yelled, "Do you see THIS? I cannot have this!" I remember the look on her face. She was so worried. She told me I had a problem and had to let up on myself. I must have looked like a crazy person, and I was. I can't say that voice went away, but I try to remember that the frantic element of it is part of an irrational judgment.

I encourage you to be strong, grit your teeth if you have to, put on something that will bare your legs, and go out. I remember many times feeling my blood run cold when I took off my bathing suit cover at the beach. I would look at the sun and other people and wonder if they had any idea the sheer cold terror I felt showing my 145-lb. BMI 23.4 body. The thoughts of shame would be racing. But I refused to give in. I felt I deserved to be there and I believed that for anyone, no matter what her size, to be able to bare her skin and enjoy the sun and sea.

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 5:45 am
by 3squaremeals
Thanks Soprano

Also thank you Oolala I will definitely stop trying to hide my legs in long pants, my legs really aren't that bad, I just think they are because I'm not at my ideal weight. Thank you for making me realize that I deserve to wear shorts just like anyone else, and I shouldn't not enjoy myself because of what I think of myself.

I've been going well with No S except for one night I got home and binged because I was hungry. But the last few days I've stuck to No S and I'm feeling my hunger getting less between meals which is nice. I've been eating Vegan as well, not sure if I quite want to label myself as a Vegan though but I do want to eat mostly plant based as I don't really enjoy meat or eggs much. I usually pick meat out of my meals these days and I wanted to gag the other morning I ate eggs. I feel if I label myself and restrict myself to only Vegan eating I may rebel and binge more. I am currently really enjoying all my yummy meals with lots of fruit and veg though, so I will keep going with what I'm doing.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 6:04 am
by 3squaremeals
Green today

I am going to record what I am eating even though I said I wouldn't, but I want to make sure I'm getting a balanced diet while not eating animal products and keep a record of my vegan meals to get ideas if I ever can't think what to make.

Here's the last 4 days

Thursday
B- low sugar granola, coconut yoghurt, dates chopped and grated apple
L- salad with spinach, carrot, red cabbage, falafel, lentils, chickpeas, hummus and a seeded mustard dressing
T- roasted veggies with lettuce, toasted pepitas, and vegan garlic aioli

Friday
B- low sugar granola, coconut yoghurt, banana, blueberries and strawberries
L- spinach mixed with leftover roast veg, quinoa and a tahini, maple dressing + a pear
T- chickpea, bell pepper and mushroom fajitas

Saturday
B- smoothie with almond milk, banana, vegan protein powder, flaxseeds and spinach
L- tofu and veg rice paper rolls with peanut dipping sauce and a pear
T- burrito with black rice, spiced cauliflower, lettuce, avocado, refried beans, jalapenos, corn and vegan cheese with green chilli sauce
S-half a tub of Been and Jerry's dairy free ice cream

Sunday
B- low sugar granola with coconut yoghurt, banana, blueberries and strawberries
L- tofu and veg rice paper rolls with a peanut dipping sauce
T- roasted brussel sprouts, pumpkin, chickpeas, carrot mixed with quinoa, dried cranberries and tahini dressing

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:51 am
by 3squaremeals
Green today, I felt like eating the whole pantry when I got home but I resisted and cooked dinner, enjoying every single bite.

B- low sugar granola with coconut yoghurt, blueberries and strawberries
L- quinoa, roast brussel sprouts, pumpkin, carrot, chickpeas, sprinkled with pepitas, dried cranberries and a tahini dressing + an apple
T- black bean enchiladas and green beans

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 12:00 pm
by cedar
Yummy, your meals sound delish! Good on you for not eating the whole pantry, it's always a better feeling afterwards👠but hard at the time to push through.

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 11:28 pm
by automatedeating
Yay for green and for enjoying your meals!

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2018 8:17 am
by 3squaremeals
I have been doing intermittent fasting during the day 22/23 hrs fasting and 1-2 hr eating window. I seriously wish I had found this sooner. I'm about a week in and no longer get hungry during the fasting period, especially not during the last 3 days now that my body has adjusted. It is great not to be worrying about what to eat and if my meal was healthy enough/low calorie enough. I pretty much just cook dinner which is whatever I feel like but fairly healthy and a good size portion, as well as dessert or fruit or a smoothie.

I am no longer vegan as I found it too restricting and especially with only eating one meal and dessert each day I think I would be lacking in a lot of nutrients. Plus it was annoying cooking 2 different meals at dinner time.

I can definitely see myself doing this long term. I don't get the urge to binge like I used to when I was eating multiple meals a day even at the end of my fast. I thought I would be ravenous at the end of my fast and it would make me want to binge more, but I just feel a bit hungry and am satisfied after my food. I know this is early days but I am excited to see how my body continues to respond to fasting.

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2018 1:42 pm
by automatedeating
You probably are aware that Linda has had great success with intermittent fasting? She writes about it on her thread and would be able to answer any questions you may have.

Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 2:14 am
by 3squaremeals
Thanks automated, yes I pm'd her about my hunger I was experiencing in the beginning which she was able to reassure me that it gets easier which it certainly has. I'm glad I stuck out the hard part in the beginning as I'm feeling great now.

Looking forward to tonight as I'm going out for dessert with a friend I haven't seen in ages. The place we are going to does the best freshly made donuts with cinnamon sugar served with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Can't wait!

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2018 6:05 am
by 3squaremeals
I'm still going with the intermittent fasting. I'm really enjoying it. I've been doing some 16 hr and 22hr fasts. I prefer the 22hr ones actually as I get to enjoy more food at night and not feel full and weighed down by food all afternoon. I'm down 7.5lbs since I started intermittent fasting too which is a bonus

Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2018 9:06 pm
by 3squaremeals
Down another pound this morning.
I'm trying to keep my eating window to one big plate of dinner, some sort of dessert and also some fruit. Plus I have a few cups of tea or coffee with milk during the day which technically isn't proper fasting but it helps me get through and makes fasting sustainable for me which is what I'm aiming for as I plan to do this long term.

My food yesterday was

A banana
Chicken schnitzel, roast potato, 2 different types of sweet potato, carrot and steamed broccolini and gravy
Ice cream cone from Mc Donald's

My appetite is down a bit at the moment as I have a head cold. Hoping to feel better soon

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2018 12:40 am
by automatedeating
Oh, sorry to hear about your cold!! I hope you get to curl up with a blankie and hot tea!

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2018 7:18 am
by 3squaremeals
Thanks automated. Fortunately my youngest son had a nap today so I was able to put my feet up and rest for a bit.

My fast today was 21 hours
Food:
Homemade lasagna and salad
Chocolate
A mango

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 7:28 am
by 3squaremeals
Fasted 23.5 hours today. Was down another pound this morning. Down 10lbs all up now. I'm loving how quickly the weight is coming off without feeling deprived

Food:
Banana
Mexican chicken and beans on rice with avocado, sour cream and cheese
Chocolate biscuits

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2018 5:25 am
by 3squaremeals
Had 2 off days where I didn't fast as long and ate too many sugary things. Not too stressed though as I'm sick again, nearly lost my voice and got a horrible cough. Have also decided to try and eat more fruit and veg as I find I'm not eating enough and think it has contributed to me getting sick.

Weight is up about a pound
Fasted 20 hours today

Food:
Glass of milk
Strawberries, blueberries and a nectarine
2 dark chocolate lindt balls
Burrito bowl with beef beans, brown rice, corn, avocado, spinach, capsicum, tomato and red onion + a spoonful of sour cream

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 7:28 am
by 3squaremeals
Trying to eat healthier/clean back fired on me, it made me obsess and feel deprived which lead to some binges. I find what works best for me is having a long fast 22ish hours, eating a large home cooked enjoyable meal, some fruit and a treat like a chocolate bar, donut or cookie makes me feel satisfied and doesn't lead to binges and gives me a good rate of weight loss. I ended up gaining 3lbs during my off week last week but have lost that plus an additional half lb since going back to what works.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:15 am
by lpearlmom
Yup, “clean eating†is just another diet and we all know traditional diets don’t work. Sounds like you figured out what works for you though so was a valuable lesson.

Yay for the weight coming back off!

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 2:48 pm
by automatedeating
What exactly is "clean" eating?

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 10:40 pm
by 3squaremeals
Thanks Linda it certainly was a valuable lesson. I just have to remember not to fall back into the 'clean eating' trap, as tempting as it is sometimes.

Automated clean eating to me is only eating wholegrains such as brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, grainy bread, fruit, veg, organic dairy, free range, grass fed meat. Raw treats made from coconut oil, dates cacao etc. It is a healthy diet but whenever I seem to try this approach I end up feeling deprived and binging. It's more my all or nothing approach I guess than clean eating that causes me to binge, as I feel like if I have white rice or pasta or milk chocolate I have been bad and end up binging. Whereas if I don't put a label on how I should eat then I don't feel guilt. Our dinners I cook aren't overly unhealthy when I'm just eating normally so I don't see why I feel the need to eat super healthy.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:39 pm
by ladybird30
So called clean eating is incredibly subjective, and introduces an unwelcome moral element into eating which I for one can do without. Here's to enjoying what is on one's plate, whatever it is. (By the way, coconut oil and whole grains both disagree with me!!)

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:15 am
by automatedeating
Thank you both for explaining to me. One other thing I notice in your description -- free-range & organic everything could get expensive!

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:42 am
by 3squaremeals
Yes I can certainly do without adding in the moral element to eating. It takes all the pleasure away from it. I enjoy being able to go to someone's house for dinner and enjoy the meal or go out for dessert without guilt. That is interesting that coconut oil and wholegrains don't agree with you. I don't think brown rice and legumes agree with me, my body doest handle too much fibre very well.

Yes automated, it is incredibly expensive and adds nearly $100 to our grocery bill! It's not something I can stick with long term as my boys already eat so much, I would hate to see how expensive it would be when they are teenagers if I was buying free range and organic.

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 4:44 am
by lpearlmom
Yup clean eating and veganism can be orthorexia in disguise imo.

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 5:45 am
by 3squaremeals
I have to agree. All the Instagram fitness models with the 'perfect' bodies either eat clean or vegan and so many people follow them and try to be like them. I am guilty of following them and have now deleted Instagram so I am not tempted to eat clean or vegan.

I have decided to keep doing what works for me and get to a comfortable weight. Not an unrealistic weight for me by eating food I don't enjoy and feeling deprived as that is not something I can stick to for life.

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 1:51 pm
by lpearlmom
3squaremeals wrote:I have decided to keep doing what works for me and get to a comfortable weight. Not an unrealistic weight for me by eating food I don't enjoy and feeling deprived as that is not something I can stick to for life.
Perfect goal. We all have to do what’s sustainable or else what’s the point?

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:47 am
by 3squaremeals
I have banned myself from all social media and going on nutritionists websites. I even deactivated Facebook for a while. Seriously when will I learn to stop looking up and trying to follow clean eating and avoiding white pasta and potato etc. I swear I just like to self sabotage. I go into binge mode as soon as I start obsessing about what I am eating as obviously my body panics like this is the last chocolate I will have once I start clean eating tomorrow, so I may as well shovel it all in now.

I know intermittent fasting works well for me as well as eating a delicious meal each night and dessert. I don't feel hungry and I certainly don't feel deprived. The weight comes off a a good rate. I'm pretty sure trying to eat clean and then binge is worse for my health than eating a healthy home cooked meal and some dessert. I really need to stop sabotaging my self and as soon as my mind starts to think about clean eating, I need to take my mind off it and do something else. Surely white carbs can't be that poisonous for us in a moderate meal, the Italians, French and Asian population all consume white carbs and are all doing pretty darn good.

Rant over, I seriously just frustrate myself most of the time!

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 10:23 pm
by ladybird30
3squaremeals wrote: I'm pretty sure trying to eat clean and then binge is worse for my health than eating a healthy home cooked meal and some dessert.
So am I, which is why not bingeing is my no 1 priority.

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 11:18 pm
by 3squaremeals
That is a great number one priority. My binges naturally dramatically reduce when I don't place restrictions for what foods I can consume on myself. I have my dinner and my sweet treat and my brain just switches off from thinking about food and feeling guilty. When I place restrictions on myself, I think about eating that restricted food until I eventually cave in and feel bad and then binge on other food.

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 12:26 am
by automatedeating
I do find this an interesting discussion. So restricting the amount of time you eat in a day is easier than restricting what you eat during your eating window? That reminds me of my kids and electronics. If there are NO electronics allowed for certain hours in a day, it just removes that battle and actually makes it easier on all of us! I wonder if IF can be like that with "resting" our willpower, in a way, rather than taxing it.

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 1:31 am
by 3squaremeals
Automated yes I do find it so much easier to refrain from eating and then being able to eat what I want. I think because the rules are black and white. I just know that during the day I don't eat, there is nothing to think about and I just get on with my day until my eating window opens. I find that if I start eating it also just makes me think about food and when my next meal is and if what I ate was healthy/low calorie enough. I guess eating for a short period just simplifies things and allows me to stop over thinking my choices, that is until I put restrictions on my one meal and cut out dessert like I have stupidly been trying to do lately, which has caused the binging to return. As of today I am back to my one meal and dessert, I'm feeling pretty hungry but I know it will pass in a few days after my body gets used to it again.

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:04 am
by 3squaremeals
I seem to be heading in the right direction again. It has taken a week and a couple of slip up days but I feel I am getting back into my routine again.

I've discovered an awesome YouTube channel that Linda suggested. Six miles to supper It is a lady that has a nice relaxed approach to intermittent fasting and the one meal a day approach. She pretty much eats whatever she wants for her one meal a day as well as having a cheat day once a week. Nothing is off limits and she's lost 80lbs. I also love that she has coffee with half and half in it during her fasting window as it is what works for her. I find coffee with regular full cream milk helps me get through my fast too, but I thought I was being bad having it. If she has lost 80lbs doing it then I shouldn't have any issues either. It keeps my hunger at bay and gives me something to look forward to during my day.

My weight is about 2lbs off my lowest. If I wasn't doing intermittent fasting I certainly would have gained it all back and some. I love how sustainable this is for me even with the slip ups. It is definitely something I can see myself doing forever as no food is off limits, I don't have to worry about social events, dining out etc, all the usual things that would stress me out and cause me to binge.

Tonight's food was:
Steak, sausages, mashed sweet potato, corn, carrots and asparagus
Nectarine
Chocolate bar

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2018 3:04 pm
by automatedeating
Hurray for getting back in your routine! What a victory, considering how tough Halloween/Thanksgiving can be.

I'm glad you're working to not consider yourself "bad" for having cream in your coffee during your fasts. We all have to find what works for us, and there is no one right way to eat. Everybody and Every Body are different.

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 7:01 am
by 3squaremeals
Thank you automated. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia, although I wish we did. So it has been mostly easy to get back on track. Although had a bad day today.

Today wasn't great and I've been noticing a pattern with my binging. If I finish my fasting window early with snacky type foods from the pantry then it always leads to a binge. If I wait to sit down to my meal and then have my chocolate and fruit about an hour later then I don't binge. I think there is just something about standing in the pantry the automatically turns into binging for me as that is what has always happened during binges.
So from now on there will be
No eating standing up
No finishing my fast early just because I am bored/want something sweet.
Only breaking my fast with a meal at home, it may be different if we are at a social event.

I think these are reasonable rules to put in place to prevent binges. It's pretty similar to No S with the No snacking and the one plate rule. I will trial it over the next week and see how I go.

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 2:12 pm
by lpearlmom
Hi square! I’m glad you’re enjoy Kayla’s videos. She’s great. Glad you’re getting back on track (me too) but sorry about the bingey behavior. That can be scary. Bingeing is usually a response to restriction I’ve noticed so maybe make sure you’re not dieting in your window. Although I don’t sense that you’re doing that. Do you use a fasting app ? I use vora and find it helps stick to my schedule a little better.

Glad you’re enjoying cream in your coffee again. Even dr fung says it’s fine. I think that’s because fat doesn’t spike insulin so technically you’re not breaking your fast. I wish I could use it but it tends to give me reflux so I have to stick to black tea. :/

Anyway good luck with your continued journey!

PS. I find opening my window with something fatty like olives, nuts and avocados works best. I try to keep the sweet stuff for the end of my window when satiety has kicked in.

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 10:05 pm
by ladybird30
3squaremeals wrote: I think there is just something about standing in the pantry the automatically turns into binging for me as that is what has always happened during binges.
Yeah, automatic brain patterns kicking in. Its similar to feeling at a loose end and finding oneself standing at the fridge with the door open.

Good call on the no eating standing up and sitting down to a proper meal.

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 10:55 am
by 3squaremeals
Thanks Linda I will download that app. Sorry I meant I am having whole milk in my coffee, we call it full cream milk over here. I find the whole milk doesn't make me hungrier or effect my weight loss which is good. Have you tried using whole milk since the cream gives you reflux?

Thanks ladybird, it seems to be helping sitting down to a meal

I have been doing good and bad, had a few bad binges which I think was triggered by me thinking I need to eat healthier to lose weight faster, as my partner has lost 30lbs and I just want to hurry up and lose weight. But the more I try to speed it up or even think about restricting to lose weight quicker, it seems to trigger a binge response.

The last few days I have just been focusing on having my main meal, fruit and then finishing with chocolate. Also not standing in front of the pantry in my eating window has helped too.

Hopefully one day this binge eating will be very minimal or stop. I think the less I restrict, the sooner it will happen.

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 4:00 am
by 3squaremeals
Still fasting approximately 20-23 hours a day and loving it. I feel so relaxed around food at the moment it is great. I'm eating mostly healthy foods and always include lots of veg and some fruit with my meal. With some chocolate, candy or chocolate cake thrown in too. I've just had my period and this is the first time ever I haven't binged and gained 5 or 6lbs. My weight was up about 1.5lbs at the start but now my weight is less than before my period. I'm down 13lbs since I started my fasting journey. I've had a few ups and downs but I always get back on track because I find this lifestyle so sustainable. It feels so natural now not to have breakfast and lunch and I only occasionally get hunger pangs which then go away for a few hours.

Looking forward to travelling to the inlaws for Christmas and not having to stress about what I am eating and not gaining lots of weight like I normally would.

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 7:26 am
by 3squaremeals
I am looking forward to getting back to fasting tomorrow after a full day of eating. I feel awfully lethargic and sluggish from all the food. It is a great reminder about how great I feel while fasting. It is also nice to enjoy food with family for a day too.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:05 am
by 3squaremeals
Thought I would post an update since I haven't been on here in ages. I'm still enjoying intermittent fasting. Most days I eat dinner, some fruit and dessert and other days I will have lunch or a snack in the afternoon + dinner and dessert. I'm down 16lbs and am feeling great. Still a little way to go but this feels so sustainable to me and has stopped my binge eating which is amazing considering I used to struggle with it a lot

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 8:02 am
by Soprano
Great news well done

Jx

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 3:23 pm
by automatedeating
This is great to hear! I'm very happy for you!

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:34 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
I'm going to check out that YouTube chanel Six Miles to Supper. I've reduced the size of all my meals dramatically, and am managing 12-14hrs 'fasting' periods. I'm leaning towards two meals a day.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:56 pm
by Octavia
Great to hear things are going well, 3square! :)

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 7:08 pm
by RAWCOOKIE
an hour and a half later and I've been binge-watching YouTube about intermittent fasting!
:shock:

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:34 am
by 3squaremeals
Thank you everyone. Rawcookie great job on starting fasting 12-14 hours. Kayla from six miles to supper did that at the start and gradually made her fasting window longer. It's amazing what our bodies get used to. If you would have told me 6 months ago that I would only be eating 1-2 meals a day with very little hunger during the day I would have laughed. But not eating during the day just doesn't seem to phase me anymore.

I love Kayla's approach and YouTube videos too. If I ever feel like getting too strict with what I eat I just watch Kayla's videos, and it reminds me that weight loss with eating what I like can happen with intermittent fasting. Kayla did and lost 80lbs

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 1:16 pm
by Whosonfirst
It's good to see you're having such good success with your fasting. The 20-23 hours of fasting you spoke of in an earlier post sounds a lot like Ori Hofmekler's Warrior Diet. He's a fitness and intermittent-fasting guru who was a former Special forces Seal for Israel. His workouts are very intense and I think he markets mostly to men by using the "Warrior Diet" name. Although he does seem to have his share of women following his plans as well.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 12:03 am
by 3squaremeals
I am back to No S and am done fasting. It worked for a bit but then I was either binging or fasting and I've gained all the weight back. It was so nice to have some granola, greek yoghurt and berries for breakfast this morning. I will update with my food intake each day. I am also contemplating not weighing myself as I don't want to be discouraged if my weight doesn't go down fast enough. I will see how I go. Also on S days I will have the rule of having dessert but keeping my normal 3 meal structure.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 2:05 am
by 3squaremeals
I am thinking I may do 3 meals and a small healthyish dessert before bed each night. It will be homemade and I will be using healthier sweeteners and flour such as coconut sugar, dates, wholemeal flour, dark chocolate. I will see how I go with it and if I need to tweak my plan I will.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 2:21 am
by automatedeating
Hi 3squares! Great to see you on the boards!
I look forward to hearing from you and supporting you in your efforts for reestablishing 3 meals a day.
And your breakfast this morning sounds delicious. :-)

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 3:09 am
by 3squaremeals
Thanks Auto, it's great to be back!

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 5:41 am
by lpearlmom
Yay im glad you’re back! Doesn’t eating breakfast feel luxurious?? I haven’t been weighing either as I dont want to ruin the good feelings ive been having. I think ill use my skinny jeans as a guide instead.

Best of luck!

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 2:47 am
by 3squaremeals
Thanks. Yes it definitely does feel luxurious. Great idea about using your skinny jeans as a guide. I might do that too since I just brought a new pair that are a bit too tight, I refused to buy the next size up haha.

Yesterday's food
B- granola, Greek yoghurt, apple and raspberries
L- homemade satay fried rice using brown rice
T- Mexican lasagna and broccoli
D- vanilla mug cake with frosting- so not healthy but I kind of had a wth moment last night and was thinking I should go back to fasting. Woke up this morning and seen some sense.

Today's food
B- bircher muesli with Greek yoghurt and grated pear
L- avocado and eggs on seeded toast + strawberries
T- chicken and veg enchiladas and steamed green beans
D- chocolate mug cake using wholemeal flour, coconut sugar and dark choc chips

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 4:05 am
by lpearlmom
Oh yup, I tried to go back to fasting for a few days but my body was like nope! If you really need dessert, that can be your mod. If it isn’t working for you, you can always remove it later down the line. Sounds yummy!

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 4:25 am
by 3squaremeals
Thanks yes instead of S days I will try having a small healthier homemade dessert each night. Will see how it goes and if it doesn't work then I will re-evaluate. Hopefully I can have some self control!

Fasting is hard, I was always watching the clock counting down until I could eat and stressing about clean fasting vs dirty fasting. Although I currently still watch the clock, hoping my body adjusts and I stop feeling hungry soon.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 1:48 am
by automatedeating
Hang in there while your body adjusts to this new routine.

And for the record, those desserts you are making sound incredible!

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 6:21 am
by 3squaremeals
Thank you Auto, the last 2 days have been super easy as I have had a throat infection so my appetite is down. Hopefully my appetite stays like this once I am better. It is so nice not being hungry and feeling obsessed with food like I did when I was fasting. I can certainly see myself doing this long term.

Yesterday's food
B-Muesli, greek yoghurt, strawberries and 1/2 a grated apple.
L- homemade tuna pasta salad with whole wheat pasta, corn, capsicum, cucumber, avocado, tuna and greek yoghurt mixed with lemon juice + a banana
T- Mexican chicken enchiladas again
D- made healthyish brownies served with a T of low sugar ice cream and raspberries. I'm enjoying these healthier desserts, they satisfy my sweet craving without leaving me wanting to eat the whole lot.


Today's food
B- muesli, greek yoghurt and grated pear (I'm loving this breakfast, it is really filling and keeps me going until lunch)
L- tuna pasta salad again
T- homemade whole wheat pizza base topped with chicken, pineapple, tomato, zuchinni, capsicum and mozzarella
D- I'm thinking I might make some whole wheat banana muffins, not sure yet.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 3:14 pm
by Candace
Sounds yummy. And let's hear it for not being obsessed! I hope your throat infection clears up soon though.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2019 6:35 am
by lpearlmom
Your food sounds so good. Hope you feel better soon!

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2019 11:48 am
by 3squaremeals
Thanks Candace and Linda. Feeling much better today now that the antibiotics are finally working.

Another good day today, feeling satisfied with my meals. Even had a quick look on the scales and I'm down 2lbs. Not that I am too worried right now as I'm working on having a better relationship with food and not binge eating.

I'm getting my recipes off a healthy eating app and I am really enjoying them. I like that it doesn't cut food groups out it just replaces foods with whole wheat versions and lower glycemic sugars such as coconut sugar, maple syrup etc. I will certainly still be having full sugar versions of food when the occasion calls for it, but I do enjoy the healthier versions as everyday treats.

Today's food
B- french toast with banana and a choc nut sauce which was 2 squares of 70% chocolate melted, 2 tsp of natural pb and a T milk. Was yummy and filling as I used seeded bread too.
L- leftover pizza from last night and a pear
T- salmon, kale and soba noodles in a lemon type sauce with steamed green beans
D- healthy chocolate mug cake and raspberries (slightly obsessed with this dessert at the moment)

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2019 1:47 pm
by automatedeating
I agree with Linda, your meals sound delicious. Are you a secret foodie? :-) Ha, or maybe not so secret!

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 1:48 pm
by Candace
So happy you're feeling better.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 10:01 am
by 3squaremeals
Haha Auto I think I am a bit of a foodie. Thanks Candace.

The last 2 days haven't been great I did fine until dinner time last night and ate too much dinner and way too many cashews and chocolate chips. It was definitely stress eating and not having enough water during the day I think so I felt hungrier. Yesterday was crazy busy at work so forgot to drink water. Today I had an awful headache all afternoon so ate chocolate and then got a burger and fries for dinner as I couldn't bring myself to cook dinner and clean up. I was feeling tempted to just fast again to hurry this weight loss up, but I'm trying to talk some sense into myself haha.

I've got a nice child free day tomorrow so will be going for a walk and catching up on some laundry and housework.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 11:40 pm
by automatedeating
Oh 3 squares - sounds busy and stressful. I am SO glad you have a day to yourself tomorrow. I hope it is peaceful and rejuvenating for you.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 10:34 am
by 3squaremeals
Thank you it was lovely having a day to myself.

I'm getting so tired of my afternoon binges. I am due for my period which is not helping at all. I made a raw chocolate slice to enjoy a piece tonight and binged on it this afternoon. Maybe I just scrap the healthy dessert idea and stick to a sugar free hot chocolate and piece of fruit if I feel like I need it. Then have a dessert on my S day. Will give it a go and see if it works.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 4:31 pm
by automatedeating
3squares, you sound a bit sad and maybe angry at yourself....I'm not sure that's right, but if you are feeling a little like that, I hope that you can be compassionate with yourself about the sweets thing. I think your plan to try using artificial sweeteners to satisfy your sugar cravings is a really good idea. It's all just collecting data and learning about yourself. Good luck, journey on with tweaks for the new day!

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:40 am
by Candace
3squaremeals wrote:
Thu Aug 08, 2019 10:34 am
Thank you it was lovely having a day to myself.

I'm getting so tired of my afternoon binges. I am due for my period which is not helping at all. I made a raw chocolate slice to enjoy a piece tonight and binged on it this afternoon. Maybe I just scrap the healthy dessert idea and stick to a sugar free hot chocolate and piece of fruit if I feel like I need it. Then have a dessert on my S day. Will give it a go and see if it works.
I second automatedeating. Please be kind to yourself. And if you think something isn't working, then yes, try something else and keep experimenting until you're happy with the results. What works for other people may or may not work for you. I can identify with the cravings that lead to binges. For me, if I have a sweet one day, the next day it's that much more difficult not to have another one.

Aren't days to yourself the best though?

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:58 am
by 3squaremeals
Thank you Candace and Auto for your replies. I guess I do need to be more compassionate towards myself. Binge eating is a hard habit to break. Maybe I don't change anything just yet, I will keep going with my healthier desserts for a few more weeks as it is hard to tell if it the hormones this week that are driving my binge eating behaviours. I guess my immediate reaction after a binge is to try to restrict which never helps in the long term.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2019 3:26 am
by 3squaremeals
I'm back again for the one thousandth time haha.
I went back to fasting but I just can't seem to stick with it. So back to sane No S I go! But it will be without the desserts this time, me and baking equals zero self control and an almost guaranteed binge. I will just indulge in a single serve of something on a Saturday night that I have brought such as a piece of cake, slice or pie. I will however have a sugar free hot chocolate at night time to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Re: 3squaremeals daily check in

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2019 3:39 pm
by automatedeating
Good idea about the sugar-free evening treat!