Lemonie daily check in

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

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

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Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Lemonie daily check in

Post by Lemonie » Sat Jul 06, 2019 1:46 pm

Hello fellow NoSers,
I’ve spent the last several weeks reading your posts and have found inspiration to forge ahead with my goal of finding moderation. I am not at all used to sharing online with strangers. Your sweet, wise, informative, and supportive posts have encouraged me. I’m hoping that by posting, I’ll not only give and receive support but also be more accountable to myself. This is the beginning.

7/06/19 164 lb. 5’7” 56 yr old
Last edited by Lemonie on Sun Jul 07, 2019 11:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: This is the beginning

Post by automatedeating » Sat Jul 06, 2019 2:29 pm

Well hello Lemonie! What a great user name. My kiddos love Lemony Snickett. :-)

I think you'll find that many of us are not all over social media, actually. We just particularly love this forum and all our online friends.

Here's to your new beginning!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Candace
Posts: 207
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:27 pm

Re: This is the beginning

Post by Candace » Sat Jul 06, 2019 4:27 pm

Welcome, Lemonie! Assuming you're a woman, we're pretty similar: I'm 53, 5'6" and weigh 155 lbs. So it's possible we may be dealing with some similar challenges. I look forward to "walking" alongside you.
53 year old female. Height 5' 5.5". Goal: 145 lb. Stretch goal: 140 lb.
Weight 6/14/2019: 155 lb.
8/3/2019: 151 lb.
8/24/2019: 149 lb.

Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Re: This is the beginning

Post by Lemonie » Sat Jul 06, 2019 6:20 pm

Thank you automated eating and Candace! I am so encouraged by you. Candace... yes I am female!

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lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Re: This is the beginning

Post by lpearlmom » Sat Jul 06, 2019 9:26 pm

Welcome! Look forward to following your NoS journey!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Re: This is the beginning

Post by Lemonie » Sun Jul 07, 2019 2:26 am

Thank you lpearlmom!

Soprano
Posts: 1184
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:56 pm
Location: UK

Re: This is the beginning

Post by Soprano » Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:49 pm

Welcome and good luck on your journey

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

Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by Lemonie » Sun Jul 07, 2019 11:28 pm

I successfully made it through this S day :lol: The real challenge starts tomorrow. We are on a mini vacation to go on a college tour with my daughter. The town has a bakery and and ice cream parlor!!! We are planning to go on a few hikes as there are waterfalls nearby which will be so nice and provide me with some exercise. Wishing all a successful Monday tomorrow.

User avatar
lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by lpearlmom » Mon Jul 08, 2019 5:39 pm

Remember vacations can be S days. I know you just started and it may be a bit early to take an S day on a weekday but just make sure you set yourself up for success. Maybe one plan treat for you plus the normal 3 plates. Whatever you decide to do, you've got this!

Enjoy!

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

Candace
Posts: 207
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:27 pm

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by Candace » Tue Jul 09, 2019 8:16 pm

I second what Linda said. Vacations can be S-days. I liked her suggestion of holding it to one treat in addition to the three plates, since there's a bunch of them in a row. Good luck and have a great trip!
53 year old female. Height 5' 5.5". Goal: 145 lb. Stretch goal: 140 lb.
Weight 6/14/2019: 155 lb.
8/3/2019: 151 lb.
8/24/2019: 149 lb.

Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by Lemonie » Wed Jul 10, 2019 10:16 am

Thanks Linda and Candace,
I think I was trying to put on brakes by starting No’s before leaving for the college visit trip. Not the best plan. I appreciate your ideas about how to approach my eating on the trip. I was not as disciplined as I would have liked but definitely better than I would have been without NoS in the back of my mind. Now that we are back home, I am motivated to do better.

Candace
Posts: 207
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:27 pm

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by Candace » Wed Jul 10, 2019 1:51 pm

If you were better on the trip than you would have been if you hadn't started No-S, then I think it sounds like it *was* a good plan! We can never be perfect. My objective is just to be a little better than in times past.
53 year old female. Height 5' 5.5". Goal: 145 lb. Stretch goal: 140 lb.
Weight 6/14/2019: 155 lb.
8/3/2019: 151 lb.
8/24/2019: 149 lb.

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

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by automatedeating » Wed Jul 10, 2019 3:48 pm

Hi Lemonie - I agree with Candace; NoS thinking helped you observe more carefully your "typical" vacation behavior. Calm curiosity, collecting data.

And I strongly disagree that "waiting" until after a vacation to start something like NoS would have been necessary. The very foundation of this program is that you take it with you. Its long-term success depends upon your acceptance of imperfection and days that are not perfect. Part of the process is learning to forgive yourself, to accept that you don't have to force this change. As you become more in-tune with your true deeper needs and desires for food, nourishment, and a strong body, the willpower aspect of NoS will decrease and you will find a rhythm that fits your style, your uniqueness, and your body.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by Lemonie » Fri Jul 12, 2019 1:12 am

Candace & Auto- thank you for such beautifully written thoughts. It is helpful to be reminded that the journey to moderation ( and weight loss) is not an all or nothing process. The “oh well I messed up so I’ll do my free for all today and start again tomorrow” approach has been my modus operandis for years.

Wishing you all wellness in all aspects.

B- lite English muffin. Hb egg, half slice cheese
L- salad with chicken, orange
D- stir fry with baked tofu, non alcoholic beer

NoS all the way

Candace
Posts: 207
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:27 pm

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by Candace » Fri Jul 12, 2019 2:12 pm

About recovery when we mess up on N-days: I read in "The Thin Commandments Diet" by Dr. Stephen Gullo that one of the biggest determinants of whether we succeed in our overall weight loss goals is how we handle things when we inevitably slip up. Everyone slips up. It's to be expected. He wrote that once we slip up, we're extra vulnerable for the rest of the day we mess up plus the entire next day. That's when most of us just decide to abandon good eating habits, basically punishing ourselves for our mistake. And then once the junk is in the system, the cravings take over. If we can make it through that time period without continuing to eat things that are bad for us, our odds of success go way up.

I took that to heart and discovered it's really true. Once I make that mistake and eat that sugary food, it can just snowball. Reading that particular passage in that book made me extra aware of the vulnerability to the snowball after a mistake, and gave me motivation to try and not fall into that trap. I can't say I've always been successful, but the knowledge has definitely helped.
53 year old female. Height 5' 5.5". Goal: 145 lb. Stretch goal: 140 lb.
Weight 6/14/2019: 155 lb.
8/3/2019: 151 lb.
8/24/2019: 149 lb.

Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by Lemonie » Sat Jul 13, 2019 12:48 am

Thank you Candace..I think that I have been handling slip ups as “ well I haven’t really started trying to do better yet so tomorrow will be day one.” Unfortunately, tomorrow ends up being another tomorrow and so on. It’s a game that I play with myself. I will definitely think about this notion of how to handle the slip up in a way that it does not erase all the other good things that I have done for my body that day. Tomorrow can be today with imperfection... this will be helpful..

B- lite English muffin, pb, oatmeal cookies (3)
L-tofu leftover stir fry, orange
Cashews ( handful), slice of cheese
D- 3 small slices Paul Newman pizza, orange, kombuchi

Not a success but no snowball either

gingerpie
Posts: 1031
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 8:16 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, US

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by gingerpie » Sat Jul 13, 2019 12:07 pm

Unfortunately, tomorrow ends up being another tomorrow and so on. It’s a game that I play with myself. I will definitely think about this notion of how to handle the slip up in a way that it does not erase all the other good things that I have done for my body that day.
Eventually, it occurred to me that "tomorrow" was far too late and I tended to incur an awful lot of damage in the intervening time. 🙄 So I worked on switching my thinking to "I just messed up but I can start again right now." It helps get me back on the path again without too much self flagellation. Not 100% perfect of course but it helps.

Best of luck to you on your journey!

Soprano
Posts: 1184
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:56 pm
Location: UK

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by Soprano » Sun Jul 14, 2019 6:09 am

Don't let lack of scale movement deter you. I had the same in the beginning. To the point I went to the Drs for a check up. I was hungry at meals sticking to plan and knew from past experience it should have been going down,

All was ok, I think my age had something to do with it but it's not been straightforward. My weight went up and down despite being pretty consistent with eating.

Look up whoosh effect on Google.

I lost a stone in 8 months

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

Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Re: Lemonie check in

Post by Lemonie » Thu Jul 18, 2019 2:01 am

Thank you Soprano and Gingerpie... Im grateful for your thoughts and ideas. I went on another college trip with my daughter and was a bit liberal with the plan. However, I was still very much aware of the NoS plan and had a bite of treats instead of my own order. When I weighed myself this morning, I was down one pound! So.., small steps added up . Wishing you all peace.

Candace
Posts: 207
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:27 pm

Re: Lemonie check in

Post by Candace » Thu Jul 18, 2019 11:51 pm

Lemonie wrote:
Thu Jul 18, 2019 2:01 am
Thank you Soprano and Gingerpie... Im grateful for your thoughts and ideas. I went on another college trip with my daughter and was a bit liberal with the plan. However, I was still very much aware of the NoS plan and had a bite of treats instead of my own order. When I weighed myself this morning, I was down one pound! So.., small steps added up . Wishing you all peace.
Isn't it great to just take a bite of someone else's instead of having a whole dessert? I like to share with my husband. My usual rule is I get three bites of whatever it is. Sometimes I have more though, if it's big, like the delicious bread pudding that four of us shared on Sunday. I think that very much helps limit the damage of S-days, while still affording lots of enjoyment.
53 year old female. Height 5' 5.5". Goal: 145 lb. Stretch goal: 140 lb.
Weight 6/14/2019: 155 lb.
8/3/2019: 151 lb.
8/24/2019: 149 lb.

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

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by automatedeating » Fri Jul 19, 2019 1:46 pm

Hi Lemonie! Just swinging by to say hello. Hope those college visits are going well. What type of environment do you and your daughter think will be the best fit for her? What does she want to study?
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Re: Lemonie check in

Post by Lemonie » Sat Jul 20, 2019 1:44 pm

Hello friends,
You may have noticed a subtle change in my topic line. I’m finding it difficult to do a daily check in every single day so I took out “ daily “. Not slipping just keeping it honest. Candace- yes so much more fun to share a dessert- eating small bites! Auto- My daughter has been wide open in terms of her college preferences. It’s hard to know how much assistance to give her. I have been an educator- school psychologist, adjunct professor, and more recently special ed administrator- for nearly 20 years. I’m working on resisting my urge to take over the process. Trying to find healthy balance in all areas of my life. Truth be told, she needs no major help from me. She has worked hard and any college campus would be lucky to have her ( ok I’m a biased mom). Yesterday we walked through steps of determining which variables mean the most to her( so she can whittle down her list). I have to go now but more later. Thanks for asking.

Lemonie
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 am

Re: Lemonie check in

Post by Lemonie » Thu Aug 01, 2019 12:18 am

Still have not been able to follow NoS for more than 2 days in a row. I am back to work after a long summer break and have a difficult time focusing on myself when I am busy. I’m not feeling discouraged which is new for me. I am just trying to be a little healthier each day.

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

Re: Lemonie daily check in

Post by automatedeating » Thu Aug 01, 2019 1:05 am

Hi Lemonie -
That is so great that you are not discouraged and instead just focusing on the healthier choices you are making!

As far as stringing more days together, some practical thoughts I had are:
*Consider which part of the day/routine is the most difficult for you?
It might be that stretch between lunch and dinner? Or after dinner? Or is it that you aren't sure what to make and you are just starving come dinner? Or is it that certain meals need to be packed and eaten out of the house? Or do friends or social events derail you?
*Focus on just the top "derailers" (rather than try to fix everything) and come up with a "toolbox" of options that can be used to help you navigate your workdays and weekdays.
*The lovely thing here is that then the weekend comes and you can relax. No need to menu plan or worry about social events or hold off on a meal if you are really hungry, etc. You can recharge and make plans for the upcoming week (while snacking, lol).
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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