This is not a bad idea, Tracker!

[Thisisnotabadidea-]

It seems like once I get comfy with no s something happens . I got put on some medication that made my appetite INSATIABLE(who knew some antihistamines cause that?) Added in PMS, And I had weeks of SOLID red, Like binge level of red every. single. day. I was already on the higher end of my weight range and I ended up gaining like 5 pounds above that. I haven't been 140 since last Halloween which is frustrating.

I know it's not exactly my fault and I forgive that it happened. But dang after feel pretty confidently safe I get thrown this. I'm finding it hard to return to no s too after that experience and some life stuff happened and I have a COMPLETELY different schedule than I use to and my brain/body is like "food, when? NOW!"

So yeah, Petty update after last times inspirational blurb. Life happens, sometimes you eat 3 packages of dried fruit in a day and gain 5 pounds . i know I'll get back to no s with good food choices, figure out the new schedule and slowly after the water goes away I'll taper down to 130 again, I know that. It just feels like a derailment I didn't need.

[automatedeating]

Oh, I'm sorry to hear about this. You haven't been feeling well, then you end up gaining weight, too. That is not fair! I hope you are feeling better and I love your confident tone at the end that you will find your groove again soon. You will! But I'm so glad you stopped by your thread to let us know how you are doing so that we can give you support! Take care this week!

[Thisisnotabadidea-]

Oh, I'm sorry to hear about this. You haven't been feeling well, then you end up gaining weight, too. That is not fair! I hope you are feeling better and I love your confident tone at the end that you will find your groove again soon. You will! But I'm so glad you stopped by your thread to let us know how you are doing so that we can give you support! Take care this week!

I am feeling better, Not only because I feel like I'm getting out of the cycle of overeating. I finally got some answers about some weirdness I've had for years(I've been diagnosed with POTS and Ehlers danlos. being tested for mass cell activation syndrome). Funny enough with the pots the doctor was like "yeah you don't eat lot of salt, that tends to help. Maybe eat more potato chips?" Hahahah how many other people are told they don't eat enough salty potato chips for their health!

I'm confident because I trust no s, Even if losing the extra weight takes 2x as long it will happen. I'm actaully really happy and no other diet, moderation plan gives me this feeling of balence between happy mentally AND physically. Like Today even though it's a S day it felt simple, A peach as a snack and toast with nutella as my treat Nothing out of control like 3 days ago. Tomorrow I'll pick back up and it'll be fine.

Oh and I totally trust the way I've been eating because when I was getting tested for the disorders everything looks great. I was even told my weight is fine on the high end of normal/slightly overweight side because of my body composition (I have more muscle than expected? It's weird) and that 125 IS too slim for me, which feels good to hear.

[Thisisnotabadidea-]

Think I'm going to post everyday for awhile again to get back into the swing of things.

136.2, Yeah I expected a fairly large "woosh" , Haven't weighed in like a week so that's encouraging. It's truly only less than one pound above my "range" but still higher than I want.
Back to not weighing for awhile!

Wheat berries with milk, applesauce and sugar(too much maybe)
Toast with arugula, squash butter spread and eggs
Homemade breadrolls and cheesesteaks,
As many teas as I need to get through

I eat so many more carbs now than when I started no s....But I feel better so no judgement? I really don't know if I go straight into eating a tad less so I can lose quicker, or just reestablish habits and put weight on the back of my mind and carry on. Maybe both, some days I can handle eating less than others and not worry about it.

[automatedeating]

Definitely no judgement. Everybody here is different and we have to find what works for us - what tastes good, what is sustainable, what fits with our principles, our time, our budget, our family situation, on and on.
You go girl - do what is right for you.

[Thisisnotabadidea-]

Today ended up being a red day, I was still hungry after lunch so I ended up eating a lemon yogurt with banana and strawberries. Then because of new scheduling I got overly hungry before dinner and had a nutella toast and a soda just ''cause. Didn't have seconds at dinner like I have been doing so you win some, you lose some. I realize that lunch needs to be bigger and I need to plan out a better breakfast, Most of the time my breakfasts are junky, fun foods but now that I go more hours between meals I just need more sustainability.

Writing it out some toast with +- tablespoon of nutella, soda and a yogurt with fruit really isn't the most horrible way to have a red day, It's all still within reason that I could have ate those with my meals ...I just didn't. Unplanned food isn't a binge

[sharon227]

It might help to observe without judging: What kinds of meals make you feel satisfied for awhile afterwards? Which ones are you hungry after? It's not always just the amount I've eaten, although of course that matters, but the mix.

People respond to different foods in different ways, and you need to find what works for you. I tend to be sensitive to some carbs but not others in terms of kicking off hunger an hour or two after I eat. Sometimes the mix matters, and you'll find that a certain amount of protein and/or good fats will satisfy you. I've stopped eating any kind of processed foods with "no fat" on the labels, since those are usually loaded with corn syrup or other carbs and I'm sensitive to those. On the advice of a nutritionist, I've also stopped drinking no-fat milk and now have low-fat 2% -- the no-fat basically makes your body absorb the natural sugars in milk faster, which isn't good if you are carb-sensitive.

Good luck!

[Thisisnotabadidea-]

It might help to observe without judging: What kinds of meals make you feel satisfied for awhile afterwards? Which ones are you hungry after? It's not always just the amount I've eaten, although of course that matters, but the mix.

People respond to different foods in different ways, and you need to find what works for you. I tend to be sensitive to some carbs but not others in terms of kicking off hunger an hour or two after I eat. Sometimes the mix matters, and you'll find that a certain amount of protein and/or good fats will satisfy you. I've stopped eating any kind of processed foods with "no fat" on the labels, since those are usually loaded with corn syrup or other carbs and I'm sensitive to those. On the advice of a nutritionist, I've also stopped drinking no-fat milk and now have low-fat 2% -- the no-fat basically makes your body absorb the natural sugars in milk faster, which isn't good if you are carb-sensitive.

Good luck!

That something I've been trying to pay more attention to! I definitely don't eat low fat though, I use non-homogenized whole milk so it varies from 4-7% fat in my tea, yogurt and other food, Lots of cooking fats, avocados, fatty cuts of meat. Because that kind of stuff makes me feel better with my physical health. I forced myself to eat more protein, less carbs for awhile because I thought it might have helped but I think at this point I've decided that it really doesn't matter, What matters more for me is in fact eating more. I have a very bad tendency to undereat at meals and I know this. Done it forever which led me to graze all the time.

I do think I need to cut back the sugar again, I got very lax on that even without the overeating stint. I don't adhere to a perfect No Sweet strategy because I have to balance not feeling restricted with eating things I know makes me feel better so homemade muffins are on the table, but nutella needs to uh..Find a home in the back pantry for awhile. I know I feel better on homemade everything no matter what's in it.

[Thisisnotabadidea-]

I've gained 10 pounds since May with moments of being less since then. But at any rate I'm amazed at how much I don't care, Like if you would have asked me in January would being 136 be okay and I'd tell you hell to the no but now that I am I'm just kind of chill about it. Like with no S I tend to gain and lose the same 5 pounds, and I reasonably won't be under 130 again...So why should I worry if I weigh a few pounds higher than my very bottom weight, Maybe I truly am meant to be higher in weight anyway, My life isn't being negatively effected by being a slight bit overweight so meh. I just hope that I won't get too lax and end up gaining and gaining until I'm uncomfortable with it and didn't do anything

White peach, Goat cheese, and rhubarb jam on 2 toasts
Salmon sandwhich with honey mustard, cheese, bell peppers, Arugula and spinach. With a side of watermelon
Pork tacos with cheese, salsa and beans
1 chai, two normal

Today was one of the days where I just couldn't plan my food so I ate what I wanted. I ended up with a solid green day even though my brain is like "too much bread, too much food" BUT IT WAS A GREEN DAY. I ate lunch a little later and dinner a tad earlier 10/10. Oh and I'm amazed that what sounded good today wasn't nutella, I'm proud I craved fish

[sharon227]

Craving fish! That rocks

I agree about homemade. I think there are chemicals and additives in a lot of processed foods that trigger reactions in our bodies (and those are different for different people). There was a certain salad dressing at Panera that made me just crave keeping eating after I'd have a salad there. I switched to their balsamic and felt much better after otherwise having the same meal.

[Thisisnotabadidea-]

Another red day and I just...I don't know if I want to even try to diet anymore. No S is the most...Wholesome plan I've tried but ultimately it is still a diet that requires some kind of forethought and discipline. Mentally AND physically I do amazingly well eating every 2-3 hours and like ~2500-3000 calories which totally negates my weight goal. I know if I eat like that I'll be 160-ish again, But is being bigger but feeling like a worthwhile human the price I need to pay? Perhaps.

I just don't know, The whole over-eating for a few weeks really threw me for a loop because I remembered "oh shoot I DO feel better, I'm not snapping at everyone. Food is amazing!". It's not because I'm "addicted" to food or that it's a comfort. I just literally feel worn out and like I'm fighting against myself, I know I've never handled being hungry well or having restrictions placed on when/what I could or couldn't eat. Is it possible I could figure out better how to moderate myself? That is possible.

I don't know if this makes me a bad person or if I'm just not strong enough to stick to something I KNOW is better for me in the long run. But there is life outside of feeling like I'm in a hole I can't get out of when the solution is simple in practice.

I might be back around to no S after I've had my fun, Or i might just accept what it is I don't know. I only know I want to live better than I have been

[lpearlmom]

Sorry you’re struggling too. You’re definitely NOT a bad person. Btw, I pm’ed you.

Gl!

[nonoodles]

I hope you both keep posting, even as your feelings about a “weight loss regimen” may shift. I feel like this board has morphed from a typical weight loss board to a full examination of all kinds of personal feelings, goals and reflections on anything and everything. And I really really like that!! Please keep posting. I love seeing your thoughts on our collective journey through this life.

[Thisisnotabadidea-]

I'm back because I need to logic things out and I don't have anyone in my RL who understands

Is being imperfect more important than giving up is something I wonder. Do I plan for 4 meals a day and don't worry about it, Or do I continue with 3 meals but don't moderate what or how much I eat? Do I stop weighing?

I definitely have looked at NoS as a "diet" with the "Diet mentality" only briefly have I completely given up trying to estimate calories, weighing and not worrying about eating bread at every meal and in those moments I've been the happiest no doubt.

Intuitive eating works to a degree but I always end up with a very wonky eating schedule(Like one meal and 30 snacks kind of wonky or eating nothing one day only to eat everything the next) so it's not like "giving up" Would make eating any easier.

I plain and simple feel lost, I just want to stick to something and stay that course. I guess I just need to decide what I'm doing and realize it could change later on. It's just hard trying to change my eating habits when I know I won't get the results I want. Is that bad?

I need to find goals that aren't weight related, I need to think about things other than that blueberry muffin I ate. I want to be happy AND healthy and how can I go about finding a way that honors both?

[Soprano]

What is the result you want?

Jx

[oolala53]

I think you hit on it when you said you need goals that are not weight related. But they have to really resonate with you. I am a believer in some kind of relatively established routine because there are very few people who can eat more by the seat of their pants and do well in the long run. There is a lot of luck involved in that, and it's hard to depend completely on luck for reasonable weight and healthy longevity. Some cultures are lucky because their habits get them there, though a lot of it is just that they don't have access to the foods that are driving our problems. When they get access, they start suffering, too. So it does seem we have to be willing to use at least some prefrontal cortex, if we want to improve our odds in the midst of plenty.

But I know what you mean. Some days I just feel so resentful that it's as hard as it is. The sheer abundance of so much food, and so much of it NOT really supportive of long term vitality, but engineered to appeal to the very human predilection for dense foods. Oy vey. But I guess it's a better cross to bear than some. I hope you get some oomph soon.

[Thisisnotabadidea-]

So I've been kind of following lazy no s, Some days I end up eating 3 meals and some fruit. Other days I over eat and aren't hungry for more than 2 meals. It's so weird suddenly controlling my food just isn't important anymore, I let go of everything and if I want grilled cheese 6 days in a row I'm not arguing about it. I barely even think about food, And yet I haven't gained any weight. I'm actually within my "range" again.

Turns out I needed a new hobby. I'm happy with my situation of not caring about weight/food again, I guess it comes and goes in phases for me. But yeah, I'm happy again so I'm not arguing how I got here I'm just accepting it for what it is.

[lpearlmom]

Ive had those times in my life. Usually when im very engaged in something else. It’s a good feeling. Enjoy!