Page 1 of 1

FreeandEasy's 2018 Daily Check in

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:59 pm
by freeandeasy
Hey there, happy new year!
I've made the commitment to stick with No S for 1 full year.
I've dabbled with it for about a year, but am making a bigger commitment to it to reap the benefits.

I have made some mods to No S for myself:
3 meals a day, No snacking, no seconds, 7 days a week.
I have found that on the S days I really did not enjoy snacking at all. I love the 3 meal a day structure and it has become very easy for me, so I'm sticking with that. Also, I do allow sweets any day of the week, but it has to fit on my 1 plate (without a lot of vertical stacking!).

Unrelated, I've also chosen to eliminate alcohol for 2018. I have a good amount of weight to lose and I don't need the calories. I also find I get hungrier when I drink and my will to not eat in that state is pretty low. So away it goes for 2018! (2 days down and so far so good:)

First 2 days of January are right on track. I can't wait to see what this year brings.
I don't know that I'll check in here every day, but I do plan to check in at least once a week. And update my habitcal regularly. That is such a great tool and I really love it.

Here's to a great new year for all of us!

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 2:03 am
by CamperRose
I like your mods. I'm doing something similar after one year of losing followed by a year of maintenance, no snacks or desserts except for social events, otherwise No S 7 days a week. Best wishes for a successful 2018!

Rose

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 2:14 am
by ladybird30
Hi freeandeasy - congratulations on making a commitment to No S for one year. I too have decided to stick with 3 meals, 7 days per week.

I chose to report once a week - I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up daily reporting, and I think that consistency is important in habit building. The weekly reporting has kept me accountable.

All the best for 2018 and lots of green days.

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:49 am
by Merry
I hope you have a great 2018 and that you'll check in on the 2018 challenge thread too!

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:34 pm
by freeandeasy
Camper Rose, Ladybird30 and Merry,
Thank you, and happy new year!
Here's to wishing us all lots of success and lots of green days, as you so beautifully put it ladybird30!

Cheers!
Kathryn

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 7:57 am
by freeandeasy
So far I've had 4 green days, yay! That's green each day since I started.

Me and my spouse have a tradition of going to happy hour every Friday night with a friend of ours. Normally I would have had a couple of hard ciders and some pizza. But tonight I had kombucha tea, and skipped the pizza ( I wasn't hungry and didn't want that to be my meal).

The kombucha was a treat and happily, I didn't miss the alcohol.
So, my year of No S an no alcohol is off to a good start.

I'm so glad I've already got some No S under my belt because sticking with 3 meals and no snacks is easy, and I actually prefer it now. This year I get to really hone in on not having seconds (I'm successful at it, but it's more tempting that snacking) and eating reasonably sized portions.

Also, I am watching my carbs a bit. I'm not counting them, but I've been curious for a while if that would help with my weight and bloating (sorry, TMI I know!). So far so good, and it's curbed my appetite a bit as well. I will continue to do that as long as I feel good and enjoy it.

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 12:18 pm
by gingerpie
Congratulations on your success! Feels good doesn't it?

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 2:46 pm
by Strawberry Roan
Happy New Year ! Sounds like you are very motivated and nothing breeds success like success so keep on keeping on !

I saw this on another board by a poster who has also decided to eliminate alcohol for the new year, makes so much sense -

Here’s what I learned over the holiday period:
1. I’ve pretty much lost my old sweet tooth
2. I don’t have to eat food just because there is the opportunity to do so, even if it’s an ‘occasion’ eg birthday cake at the office
3. Having more than one small glass of wine wipes out all of the above and turns me into a carb-craving monster with no self control.

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 9:57 pm
by automatedeating
Hi freeandeasy!

Sounds like you are doing well -- congrats!
Your thread is inspirational!

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2018 7:26 am
by freeandeasy
Aw shucks, thanks Automatedeating!

Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 4:42 pm
by oolala53
Hi, F&E. Welcome to the first year of the rest of you No S life! (If you like it. You can judge in a year.)

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:29 am
by freeandeasy
Thanks for your replies everyone.

Strawberry Roan, I'm sorry that I didn't see your post earlier.
You 100% have my support in the no drinking department. Interesting what you said about it kicking up your cravings. I have the same thing! It's a big part of why I've kicked it to the curb for the year.
So far it' been pretty easy. Today was probably the first day I actually craved it a bit. We had a busy day of deep cleaning our house, and normally I'd have a pint of cider afterward. But not today. So I had a bottle of kombucha instead. I like that it's got the bubbles and feels like a treat, but is lower in calories and doesn't make me crave other stuff.

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:33 am
by freeandeasy
I've still been tracking daily and sticking with my 3 meals, no seconds, no snacks.

I had a friend staying with me this week and we ate out a lot. It was still easy to stick with the 3 meals. At restaurants it can be interesting though when it's shared - we had Thai food and I did the virtual plating. I think I did okay, though it's a guestimate.

I also have walking 10000 steps a day, Mon-Fri, on my calendar. So far I have failed completely on that one! I will begin on Tuesday. I've just fallen out of the habit and starting again feels like a lot of work (and time). But once I get back into the swing of things it won't be so bad. At least that's how I remember it before I fell off the walking wagon :lol:

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 5:44 am
by oolala53
Guestimates at this point are entirely appropriate. Even when we're more adept at "eyeing" the servings, it's often a crapshoot at a restaurant anyway. I usually use my hand parts but it still took me awhile before I didn't find out a few hours later that I had overdone it.

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 5:52 am
by freeandeasy
Thanks oolala53

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 8:26 pm
by freeandeasy
Still plugging away at No S and my year-long challenge. Still SUPER happy that I made the decision to do this.

Sticking to 3 meals has been easy. Keeping those meals moderate has not. I made the mod that I could have sugar any day of the week, as long as it fit on my plate without vertical stacking. I'm keeping a food diary, and realizing I eat a lot more sugar and sweets than I thought. I might choose to rethink this mod, as cutting it down to S days might really be the wiser way to go.

I've also omitted alcohol for 2018. That's been going well, though the cravings are there. Notably after doing taxes or a stressful day of work. So, I'm seeking out other ways to blow off steam.

I have also committed to 10k steps a day, Mon-Friday. Um, still getting there. It's been a new habit that hasn't, um, become a habit yet. So I've failed a few times. But I'm getting better. And I feel a lot better when I actually do it.

Now, to get my profile pic to upload will be my next trick :lol:

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 4:39 am
by freeandeasy
Gah, goofed up and got red failure days Sunday and today. Ironically I only ate 2 meals those 2 days, but that's only because I stacked my plate vertically, AND had seconds. Boo.
I'm still finding myself wanting to eat too much at each meal. I will continue to get better at this with practice.

Also, I think I may need to got back to vanilla no s. I really like not snacking, but think waiting for S days to have sweets may seem to help avoid this slippery slope I seem to be on.

On a happy note, I'm getting better at consistently doing 10000 steps a day though, except S days :)

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 9:59 am
by Crystal
Hi freeandeasy! Just wanted to say I’ve enjoyed reading your thread. We are close to the same weight at this point. Just wanted to say that I’m cheering you on!

I’ve been walking as well on my No S journey. It started with walking my dog about 40 minutes a Day, but I’ve been able to increase it because we take public transportation and I have to bring my daughter to school on the train. (We live in Singapore). Instead of taking a bus to and from the train, I walk, pushing her wheelchair. So that’s a solid hour of walking right there, plus whatever walking I do getting from here to there on foot instead of taking the bus, as well as walking my dog. Sometimes I end up walking 2 hours a day. I love it because I am really just walking to get from point A to point B and it adds up. I know it’s much harder to do that, though, if you live in an area where driving is the norm. Singapore is very walking friendly, besides the tropical heat!

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 12:16 pm
by Octavia
I love your motto, Free. It reflects my goals too - doing No S for sanity, hoping weight loss will come, but not being too attached to it.

Your ‘fails’ sound very modest in proportion! I’m sure you’ll be back on track very soon. All the best!

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 7:55 pm
by freeandeasy
Thanks Octavia :D

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2018 7:59 pm
by oolala53
Ah, you've found the benefit of non-sweet N days. Martha Beck wrote a book about 4-day wins, that is, practicing a modest habit for 4 straight days minimum. You might take a break and do it again, sometimes until it's the norm. One more day for NoS adds a nice measure of smugness. And I really believe there's a chemical advantage to no "intense sugar" for those stretches. The stretches can morph as time goes on.

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2018 8:09 pm
by freeandeasy
Thanks oolala53. I'll take any chance to get smug that I can :lol:

I enjoy Martha Beck, I'll have to check that out. Is that the title, or was it called something else?

I am going back to vanilla no s (and today is my first day, which is fun since it's an S day).
And I agree. While I sincerely believed my mods were a good idea for me, that sugar just builds on itself and I found myself eating more and more sweet things, even though they fit on my plate. It was becoming a frequent fixture at meals.

Plus, I did enjoy the vanilla no s before. It felt good to wait to eat the sugar until an s day. Hard sometimes, but I felt virtuous (not morally, just good about myself for the restraint). Then we get that lovely release valve on s days, making the n days feel good too.

So, back to vanilla it is!

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 10:52 am
by Imogen Morley
Hi and welcome! I'm restarting NoS after a 2-year break, and I've been thinking about the "plated sweets" method, too. I tried it several years ago, and I remember it to be a really slippery slope. Sugar begets sugar, in my opinion, so no matter how much I whine about my excessive S-days and general misery during N-days, I tend to get back to vanilla every time.

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 8:56 pm
by freeandeasy
Hi Imogen, welcome back!
That's good to hear that I'm not alone in that.

May I ask, what took you away from No S, and what brought you back? I'm just curious, I like hearing about other people's journey.

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 8:26 am
by Imogen Morley
After 5 or so years of vanilla NoS (with some short-lived mods) I felt like I needed more freedom and less structure. It turned out that when eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted I only gained about 5 pounds, so at least I knew that NoS truly rewired my brain to crave less food (I had used to binge like no tomorrow in the past!). Then I got pregnant and for that period plus a couple of weeks postpartum went back to vanilla, which allowed me to quickly lose all my baby weight (I never breastfed). I'm going back to work at the end of March, and I want to recommitt to NoS in order to make my life less chaotic while I'm adjusting to the office routine, and eliminate potential emotional eating.

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:08 pm
by freeandeasy
Imogen, how wonderful you were able to nearly maintain your success, that's wonderful, congratulations!
Thanks for taking a moment to answer my curiosity.
Best wishes with your upcoming work.

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 6:39 pm
by oolala53
f&e, it IS called The Four Day Win. I actually bought it; I try to stick with library books, but I caved. I got the CD version and it was a mistake for me. 1) I really didn't like her voice/delivery, and 2) it's so much harder to go back to find sections to listen to again as opposed to read again. I actually remember very little of it for having listened to four CD's. I'd see if the local library has it, if you're interested. I took a look at the Amazon reviews and was surprised to see that it had so few, given that she was an Oprah darling for awhile at least. I am so obsessed that I sometimes go back a couple of years and ask those gushing posters how things have gone. (Then again, No S is not failproof, even by some who have had some long term success. It's a tough world out there; SO much food available, SO little support for simplicity, and SO much pressure for faster/thinner.) Then again, she was not promoting some fast diet. In fact, one reviewer emphasized that she admits there will be relapsing and returning, etc., and it will be for the long haul. I guess it just takes a lot of pain to surrender to the long haul.

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 5:51 am
by freeandeasy
Thanks oolala, I will look for it!

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 5:57 am
by freeandeasy
Woop woop, dropped 5.6 pounds this month, YAY!!

I wasn't losing too much, but then went back to vanilla no s and the weight starting coming off.
Not eating sugar during the week really does make a difference for me. I had a (large) piece of birthday cake for my SO's birthday and next day the scale was up 1.6 pounds. And that's pretty consistent when I eat sugar. So, there you go.

I'm enjoying this way of eating a lot.

Oh, and I read a book that has made a HUGE difference for me. It's called Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hansen.
I seldom binge anymore, but was overeating still. This book has been a significant help to me. You have to get through her personal story - she goes into detail about her history - but it definitely shows that if she can recover from her bulimia, anyone can recover. It's a simple method, but backed up by the latest brain science.

There's my PSA for the day :lol:

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 6:35 am
by oolala53
I like Hansen's stuff. She was influenced by someone I read years before I read her, Jack Trimpey. I don't agree with her insistence that people shouldn't try to cut calories, i.e,. eat less or that they eat snacks, natch. She didn't have weight to lose in the first place. Many bingers do. They might not ever get thin, but I believe they can learn to safely navigate the right intake for them. It can be tricky, though. I stand by the idea that there is a lot of luck involved in finding the right mix for thinness. But I don't believe that's necessary for peace nor for health. Reduction from eating less often, less food, and better quality food goes a long way and is reasonable to ask.

For my part, I'm not completely convinced I'll never "binge" again, though now that I say that, I'm pretty sure it wont' ever be like it used to. But I didn't get there overnight, like she did! It surely is possible, but possible and typical are two different things. The good news is that eating is still "tame-able" even if we don't stop cold on our worst habits. And the concept that eating is not driven only by deep emotional problems is really helpful. Sure, there are people who have addictions drop away after emotional opening, but those are about a predictable as..well. they aren't predictable at all. Better to put moderate eating in place.Then if the breakthrough happens, so much the better!

Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2018 12:55 am
by Merry
freeandeasy wrote:Woop woop, dropped 5.6 pounds this month, YAY!!
Congrats on the weight loss and on going back to no sugar on N days!

Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:46 am
by freeandeasy
oolala, Yeah, I don't say I'll never binge again. And over the last few years my eating has definitely gotten easier with less craziness. Occasionally I still get diet head and get a little wacky though. Reading her book (and then bits of Trimpey's book) really made something click for me though. I wish I had found that book years ago. To me it's like a puzzle piece, putting things together and practicing until I get where I want to go, physically, mentally, emotionally. I find the process fun. Now at least. It used to be rather torturous. :wink:

Merry, thank you!
What's even better (to me) is I enjoyed the journey and still ate what I want. Love No S!

Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:26 pm
by oolala53
I absoletly LOVE her stance that her overeating was not due to all kinds of psychological problems, and that it doesn't have to be a long, torturous process to get over it. (Not that I don't go through some hissy fits sometimes.) Sure, once in awhile, you hear about someone unraveling some emotional problems and suddenly having no desire to eat compulsively. But the brain explanation is so much more applicable. And plenty of people don't have a lot of deep problems and still way overeat!

Reinhard and she are a great combo to shake up our attitudes and get us to be a little less serious about it all, if we take the opportunity. I think it's a good poison to drink!

Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2018 6:25 pm
by freeandeasy
Oolala, OMG Yes, I could not agree more!
I so wish I knew that YEARS ago - it would have saved so much heartache, time in therapy and money on food :lol:
Seriously.
I knew something was off with the idea that it must be an underlying issue when I looked at my life and my successes. Happily married, good relationships with my family, parents and friends, extremely successful career, strong spiritual life, good work/life balance. But can't stop eating pizza, WTH?!?! :lol:

Not to say I don't have issues, but I'm fairly well adjusted. Kathryn's book was a lightbulb moment/paradigm shift. I know not everyone may have that experience reading her book, but based on the reviews lots have.

And absolutely, Brain Over Binge combined with No S = Dynamic Duo! :D

Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2018 7:26 pm
by oolala53
See? You are exactly one of the people I'm talking about.

I don't know if you ever read this, but some place, Kathryn said that it actually took about nine months before the binge/purge thoughts didn't occur much even though she never binged again after her big epiphany. This means she likely had to ignore those thoughts many, many times before they receded into the shadows. (I think it's amusing that she doesn't regard the effort it takes to ignore those thoughts "willpower." If I have to exert any effort, it's willpower to me.) If people don't suddenly stop, it's likely it will take a lot longer because of the power of intermittent reinforcement. Yet the likelihood of being able to stop cold turkey, even though it is technically easier, isn't very high where temptations are almost constant.

I hope I'm not repeating myself.

Ok, I'll stop using you and others as an excuse not to do some other stuff I should be!

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2018 1:36 am
by ladybird30
Repeat yourself as often as you like Oolala. Some of us need to read the same thing over and over to remind ourselves of things we thought we knew, but have forgotten. I think it is called reinforcement.

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 6:54 am
by freeandeasy
Wow, didn't realize it had been that long since I last checked in.

I'm still plugging away at No S with success - vanilla No S now. I'm also still doing 10k steps Mon-Friday most days. Some days I fail, but those have been days I've felt a bit under the weather (the flu has entered our house and my immune system is making a good and valiant effort to keep it at bay - but some days I can tell I'm fighting it).

I let go of my challenge of 1 year without alcohol. I went a month though. I missed some of the social activities without it, I admit. But I'm not drinking daily, more like 3 days a week, 1 or 2 drinks.

I've been keeping a food diary and weighing myself daily. For me, this works well and I prefer it to not weighing - I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. It's been quite revealing to see my weight fluctuate and see what causes it. It's very clear that for my body it's what I will call "fluffy white carbs" that cause my weight to go up. So, fluffy bread, yes. Cake, yes. Sugar, oh you bet. Pizza - uh-huh. Potatoes, not so much! :shock: :D Go figure. And alcohol, no. (it was the overeating I was doing with it. Since reading Brain Over Binge I am not having that issue). And, it's not all carbs. But clearly, for me, if I want to continue eating pasta, white bread, and sugary stuff on a regular basis then the consequence is maintaining and possibly gaining weight.

So I'm starting to consider playing with my diet (diet, as in the foods I eat, not going on a diet). I want to figure out what I still enjoy eating that will also support my health and weight loss goals (because I do need to lose weight, it's a health issue, not just an aesthetic one). I'm open to tips and wisdom on that. For now, I think I'll just take it slow. Look through some cookbooks and recipes that look good but aren't so carby (can you tell I love refined carbs, lol!)

I think that's it for now. I hope everyone else is doing well on their No S journey.

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 3:16 pm
by automatedeating
What helped me decide to cut out refined carbs was the desire for long-term health benefits. Just knowing that I gain weight when eating them didn't seem to be enough motivation.
:roll:

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 6:04 pm
by freeandeasy
Hi automatedeating,
I am starting to come to that same conclusion - the weight loss doesn't seem to be enough of a motivator, but I'm not getting any younger, and projecting forward (in my mind) the possible health consequences of not making changes is starting to become sobering.

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 7:52 pm
by oolala53
I think you are very wise to consider cutting the refined carbs. Of course you love them! It also makes sense to me that potatoes don't fluff you up, unless it's potato chips you're talking about. Boiled or baked potatoes are not refined.

Diets that restrict foods and even amounts are what are MADE for health conditons! No S is not designed for that. Honestly, and I hope anyone else reading this doesn't get offended but I get very worried for people here who are facing serious health issues who think they can take things as relaxed as those who aren't. Diabetes, for example. For persons with diabetes, the most common causes of death are heart attack or stroke! Not to mention the other unhappy problems it can cause. If those aren't worth bypassing the cheesecake, etc., I don't know what is.

I don't know if being an alarmist will work. I don't use it often but did once on Spark and the woman wrote me later to say that she had taken things seriously after that and it had really helped.

But I won't be offended if it isn't what really makes the changes.

I think that the same "rules" of what Hansen promoted in her book can apply here. You can take the same stance against the risky foods Of course you love refined carbs! They are DESIGNED to bypass everything the body says that' enough. They have the same effect on the brain as a binge. It's your lower brain ( or lizard brain? I forget her term) that is doing the alluring. Not maybe overnight, but on a faster schedule than most here. Maybe start with just a couple of days a week and only the minimum on S days. Concentrate on making your meals as delicious as you can on the no-refcarb days. There are still lots of great food to eat!

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 9:02 pm
by freeandeasy
Hi oolala, thank you. I don't mind you being alarmist because sometimes tough love is appropriate.

I am fortunate in that my blood numbers are good, including my blood sugars and blood pressure, without meds. My triglycerides tend to get high, but I've managed to get them into the normal range (YAY!).

BUT, that also has made me a little lazy I think. And now I'm noticing that my knees are starting to hurt, which I've never experienced and it sucks! I can only imagine that my extra weight is making things much tougher.

And I'm 47 now, which is still youngish, but it seems things don't' get easier from here on out, from what I've heard.

I had the same thought as you about Brain Over Binge! That's part of what has prompted me - that it's worked so well for curtailing overeating that why not apply it to this? I was hoping just cutting portions would help, but apparently not if I keep eating the same foods.

And for me, even starting slow, especially not eating refined carbs at night, can really start to turn the tide. I'm walking that line between wanting to make changes, but stay sane and not get "diet head", which is why I love No S so much, even though it's a casual approach. It has helped me feel much saner.

Thanks again for your input, I appreciate it.

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:06 am
by freeandeasy
Hey, so last day of February and I'm still doing NoS! That's about as long as I've stuck to any diet :lol: (though I don't think of NoS as a diet).
3 meals, no snacks, no seconds and no sugar has become fairly easy for me.
On the rare occasion I will forget and grab an extra bit of something after a meal, and remember DOH! No seconds. But happily, it's nothing like it used to be. I welcome the progress. Also, my portions are more humane. That was something I struggled with coming into the new year.

One issue I've been having is that I've been too easily putting on weight. I've heard this happens to some women in their later 40's and I think I'm one of the lucky winners of that 'blessing'. Really, it's like nothing I've experienced before. I used to get away with eating anything much more than now. Now, I eat one piece of cake (granted, a big one) and I'm up 1.7 lbs on the scale next day. No exaggeration. I've written about that before. So it's clear I can no longer eat the way I used to. (If it was just a piece of cake here and there it wouldn't be an issue, since I don't eat it often. But it's been just about anything starchy doing it to me).

So this week I've cut my carbs WAY down, and have replaced them with a LOT of veggies (still carbs, I know. But much less, plus more fiber). I was super nervous to do it, but now that I'm doing it I feel GREAT!! :D

My bloat is gone, I feel lighter and my right knee has stopped hurting. So I seem to have done something my body enjoys, yay! I'm going to keep plugging away on this path for a bit because so far I'm genuinely enjoying it. Luckily I'm a great cook, so that sure helps!

As for weight stats, in February I put on 3.3 pounds.

:cry: BUT, I've learned a lot and am figuring out what is best for my health and weight going forward.

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:49 pm
by oolala53
I'm curious if you keep daily track to see if that 1.7 lb. gain lasts. It HAS to be water. Have you been slowly climbing or might you be on an up day?

Women statistically gain during middle age. I don't know how long it's been a phenomenon. I suspect life has gotten more complicated for women (prolly men, too) for women over the last 50-60 years. Not to mention that we are likely eating more refined carbs, which can ratchet up the set point. I suspect that since it's an average, some gain a lot more than others. I certainly did. But it may always have been true.

In any case, I'm glad you don't sound freaked. It's still a reasonable way to live, and I believe it encourages rather natural decreased eating over time, though I'm reluctant to make predictions for any individual.

Happy March!

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 9:26 pm
by freeandeasy
Hi Oolala,
Yes, it is likely water, though it's not coming off unless I cut the carbs. I've been keeping a meticulous food diary and weighing for the last two months so I definitely see a pattern.
Refined carbs for sure are affecting my weight in a way I haven't experienced before.
There was a time this would indeed have completely freaked me out. And the thought of making changes to my diet would have sent me into a binge. But now I have a lot more tools and support. And I feel SO much better from making these changes that I have built in incentive. For which I am GRATEFUL.

I started reading Wheat Belly yesterday. It's very interesting, and different than I expected. My mother and sister cannot eat gluten without getting quite ill. However, my sister can eat bread and pasta in Europe. I can eat gluten, but when I returned from Europe last year and ate the same foods back home in the US I felt sick - nausea and other unmentionable GI distress. It does make me wonder if the changes in our food supply (specifically wheat) could be contributing to some of the problems we are seeing in the US in regards to health and weight.

Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 3:23 am
by automatedeating
I have EXACTLY the same thing happen to me. One carby large meal, and the next day my weight is up. Are you short (like me)? I think that makes the effect worse.

I've read Wheat Belly. Also Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes.

Refined carbs are an S for me. For the rest of my life, I guess. I'm OK with it. I feel better that way.

Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 4:40 am
by freeandeasy
Hi automatedeating, well at least I'm not the only one! Though I certainly don't wish it on you :wink:

I'm not too short - I think I'm exactly the height of the average american woman, which is 5'5" (last I heard). So I'm kind of...average :lol:

Perhaps refined carbs will be an S for me again - I don't rule it out completely, depending on how my body responds. I'm taking a break and "cleansing" from them right now. But for me I actually feel a whole lot better without them (thank goodness, or this would be too hard!)

Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 9:47 pm
by freeandeasy
Goodness, It's been a while since I checked in. I didn't realize it had been so long!
I haven't gone anywhere, and I'm still plugging away at NoS. Admittedly imperfectly, but doing it nonetheless. I still think it's the best thing going. But it's kinda boring, compared to the thrill and excitement (followed by the sense of defeat) of a diet.
That being said, I've been focused on how to eat for my body, and how to eat and lose weight. It has not worked so far! :roll:
And yep, I've gotten a bit of the old diet head in the last month or so. Oops. Time to stop that. It's so easy and tempting to go for the quick fix, to get seduced by "this time will be different!" siren's call an I fell for it again. For a net gain of 2 pounds in March! So, my lesson here is I can stay the "boring" steady course of No S as is, or try to "fit my diet into No S" and go off the rails again.
I heard a quote that was something like "I never make the same mistake twice. I make it five or six times just to be sure". It applies here! :oops:
So, I keep plugging away and learning.
I'm grateful for it, actually. I knew when I committed to this for a year that I would have ups and downs, but I knew it would keep me coming back to a very sane WOE.
Thanks for 'listening'

Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:09 pm
by oolala53
Any time!

Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:44 pm
by freeandeasy
Thanks oolala!
I'm always so impressed (and delighted) with how well you stay in touch with all of us on the board. Thanks :D

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 6:19 am
by freeandeasy
Holy Guacamole, I hadn't realized how long it had been since I last wrote!
I wanted to follow up, since it's essentially been a year since committing to No S for 2018.

What a year! In some ways I fell flat on my face with No S, but on the other hand I've learned so much, and my journey has been very non-linear yet very fruitful. It's as though it took doing No S to see where I was unable to do it. So I went and got some help and support, and am now back. The Prodigal Daughter perhaps.

Here's the short version of my 2018 No S journey:

- I started doing No S, and in the spring realized I had some bigger issues to deal with regarding food. As in, binging that even the No S philosophy wasn't able to help with (yet).
-So I got help. I read Brain Over Binge, then worked with a coach (Lydia Knight) and went through her program that helped me tremendously.
- Now I am now ready once again to add some structure back into how I eat. So I'm back to No S, because it is the most sane, practical and sustainable way of eating I have found. It's the right mix of discipline and freedom, minus the obsession.

Other lessons learned in 2018:
- I was stacking my plates WAY too high, consistently, when I started No S
last winter.
- When going out to eat my virtual plating was pretty loosey goosey. Basically, I was counting the whole eating event as a meal, and I know my quantities were too big.
- I seldom added veggies or fruits to my plate, thinking that I didn't want to fill up on stuff that I thought wouldn't hold me over to the next meal. Turns out I feel much better sticking to 1 plate, non-stacked, with up to half veggies and fruit. And I'm not hungrier than before. Just lighter.

Now that I've practicing No S again for a few weeks, I'm recommitting to a year of No S for 2019.
- I'm excited to recommit. Now that binging isn't nearly the issue it used to be for me I am enjoying doing No S in the spirit it was intended.
- I've added 1 mod: No Snacks, No Sweets, No Seconds, No Spirits, except on days that start with S.
I like having a cider or a drink, but don't want to get into the daily habit of drinking again. I've been practicing this mod for a while and it's working well for me. I like the strictness/structure during the week, and looking forward to the looser S days to relieve that tension.

So, onward and upward for 2019!

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 8:39 am
by Soprano
Looking forward to hearing of your success in 2019

Jx

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 9:39 pm
by ladybird30
Thanks for letting us know about your progress.

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:26 am
by automatedeating
Great update - so happy for your victory over bingeing!

Also, I may end up joining you with the "No Spirits". I'm not ready to do it yet but serious pondering is occurring in this stubborn, rebellious noggin' of mine.