Everyday Systems

Hi all!
I started the No S diet on Nov. 30th. So Nov 30 : Day 1
It was actually surprisingly easy - I suppose after the Thanksgiving holiday I was "over it" as far as eating a ton and snacks and sweets.
So I did S-days for that first Sat and Sunday. (Days 1 & 2)

Similarly, the first week was really easy - I wasn't tempted to have my usual after dinner snacks/sweets and was very satisfied with meals.

Friday the 6th (Day 7) was my first real challenge. There was a potluck holiday party - and actually I think I did really well. I had one plate of food, no alcohol, no dessert - but I did end up eating pineapple after I had the dinner plate. So I this counts as snacking, but I think it was better than having a couple drinks and dessert or seconds as I might have done. I decided to count Friday as an S-day and then did a regular N-day on Sat - Day 8.

On Sun (Day 9) I had a handful of potato chips as a snack and a peanut butter cup as a dessert - and I was pround of myself for snacking without spiralining into a total binge. It would be more typical of me to start snacking and move from potato chips to a cookie to peanuts to ice cream ....
So - and S-day, but a reasonable level of snacking.

Monday Dec. 9 (Day 10) wasn't bad - although I did really want a sweet after dinner. I had a cup of peppermint tea instead.

Tue. (Day 11) was similar - the main issue is that I want a snack after dinner. I tried to distract myself with some chores and an early bed time instead.

Today (Day 12) is fine so far - I anticipate wanting a snack in the evening again and am just telling myself that I will get used to not having it and then it'll be fine.

I do have a couple questions - so if you have thoughts, I'd appreciate it:

1) I'm worried that on S-days when I do have an evening snack that will counteract building the habit of not snacking after dinner that I'm working hard on now. So - I'm thinking about having a rule for S-days that I can have a snack or a sweet - but not after dinner. Has anyone else had rules for the S-days like that?

2) On Sunday I went to the gym and rode a stationary bike hard for 20 minutes and then played in the pool with my kids for about an hour. When we got home, I was really hungry - and felt that kind of cranky that comes from being hungry. I didn't eat, but played a game with my kids while hubby cooked a really enjoyable dinner. And it wasn't so terrible to wait for it. But - it made me think more generally about exercise and if people have snacks after intense exercise or if they just wait for the meal. Does anyone do a snack after a workout?

Finally
3) For the 21 days of compliance - do you count the S-days in that or not? So I think I'm on day 12 because I've been following the program for 12 days - but 2 of those days were S-days. Does that mean I'm on Day 10?

I'm always a fan of the blood glucose meter to see if my hunger matches low blood sugar.
You could test your blood sugar after the workout and see if your blood sugar is low or falling fast.
That might help you decide about the snack.
But then, I'm kind of crazy about blood sugar, lol, so my suggestion is probably a little out there.

So, another suggestion - if you're hangry after the workout, have milk (or a milk substitute). It will work like a charm and get you to dinner, plus provide needed nutrients to your muscles.

As far as S Days goes (and your idea to limit evening eating), I was never strict about what or when I ate on S Days in my early years. To me, the "letting go" of the vigilance on the weekends was the best part. I didn't have to plan my meals and I could graze to my heart's content. That went away very very gradually (almost imperceptibly).
But everyone is different, and I encourage you to experiment to find what works for you. Your journal here will help you remember what was working, what doesn't work, and what you want to try next.

Thanks for the suggestions! Milk does seem like a good solution!

Last night I had a pretty large dinner (but only one plate) and I was tempted by snacking after dinner, but I didn't! So - that's good.

This morning (Day 13) so far so good. I have a busy day, but a nice lunch of leftovers packed to look forward to. Not such a busy evening tonight I think.

Day:13: Breakfast: Soft-boiled egg on whole grain toast, coffee, satsuma
Lunch: Leftover chicken fajitas (peppers, onions, chicken, flour tortilla, salsa, cheddar)
Dinner: Green salad and spaghetti with meat sauce

Dinner was huge - but on one plate...
I was tempted to snack anyway, but I didn't!

Day 14: Breakfast: Soft-boiled egg on whole grain toast, coffee, satsuma
Lunch: steak pita sandwitch with onions, grilled veggies and tsatziki, coffee
Dinner: planning on a shrimp curry with coconut milk served over rice with a side of sauteed greenbeans

Though the basic structure is the same, it really takes most people more than a few weeks or even months before any real pattern gets established of WHAT is on the plates. And even that can change over the YEARS.

I had WILD S days for a couple of years. I just wasn't willing to get tougher before then, but I sometimes wish I could have! I did not lose at a fast rate, but eventually did lose and have mostly maintained for years.

I'd say if you can forgo a snack after dinner even on S days, without it feeling burdensome or unpleasant, go ahead and skip it. Dwell on the pleasure you get/got from when you do eat.

I had a big weekend -
Saturday - went out for dinner and then to a party - so a larger than usual meal and some snacks/drinks at the part.
Sunday - baked 4 different kinds of Christmas cookies - sampled most of them and had an after dinner snack,and then another, and then a third.

I've been weighing every morning - and really pleased with dropping in the first two weeks. This weekend put me up more than 2 lbs and so I'm a little disappointed with that and finding it hard to keep in mind that I'm still on the plan (i.e. not cheating) by snacking and having sweets on those days. I do think that I have trouble stopping snacking in the evening if I start - so I think I'm going to try to avoid that (at home, not out at parties) even on S-days because it's not so bad and I've adjusted to it on the N-days.

Monday - Day 17 - Easy to stay on the plan:
Breakfast: soft-boiled egg, whole grain toast, tangerine, coffee
Lunch: Pepperoni & cheese sandwitch on whole grain bread with sprouts, cucumber, pear, sparking water, handful of peanuts
Dinner: Tuna noodle hotdish with broccoli (very large serving

Tues - Day 18 -
Breakfast: soft-boiled egg, whole grain toast, tangerine, coffee
Lunch: Salad with lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomato, pea tendrils, walnuts, sardines in oil, lemon juice plus a banana and a coffee
Dinner: Hubby cooking - I'm guessing pasta with broccoli.... or dal and flatbread.

Tues: Dinner I had a rice bowl with an egg, beef, carrot, broccoli & tons of Kimchee

Wed - Day 19 - Breakfast: whole grain toast with cheddar cheese & bacon, a banana and coffee (out of eggs...)
Lunch: left over hot dish, an apple, cucumber slices,
Dinner: planning to have dal, shrimp and flatbread

Doing fine today - I was tempted by a box of christmas chocolates handed around, but, in the end, I passed. I can have a chocolate on the weekend - I'm nearly through the 21 days.

Keep up the good work

Congrats on the approaching 21 days!

Thanks for the encouragement!

Last night was fine - hubby cooked pasta with broccoli and I had a handful of peanuts and a tangerine in addition to a bowl of pasta

Day 20: Breakfast - whole grain toast, cheddar cheese, pepperoni, tangerine, coffee, viatmin C drink
Lunch - planning to go out with a co-worker to a student run vegetarian cafe
Dinner - probably the Dal, Shrimp and flatbread...

The urge to snack after dinner is going away - the habit is developing (I hope!)

Whoop re losing urge to snack, well done

Jx

You're almost there! I have yet to succeed at this, but this is motivational to see this. I might make it a new year's resolution.

Thanks for the encouragement!
It's going well - the weekend was great - I did have a cookie on Sunday -but with a coffee just after lunch - avoiding the after dinner snacks.
Today has been good - I had a pilates class at 1 - so I had a small lunch and then a snack after the class - basically just split my lunch into two parts because I was hungry but didn't wat to eat too much before exercise. I'm saying that counts as complying. Enjoying the beautiful weather!

Getting back here after a break traveling over the holidays.
I had some extra s-days over the break - but now am getting back to the regular no-s.

Yesterday was an no-s day even through it was Sunday - not too hard, although chocolate looked good...
Today is going well - I had a great breakfast:
Coffee, whole grain toast, avocado, soft-boiled egg, raspberries, Emergen-C drink.
Lunch is great leftovers of a barley, lentil Persian stew with garlic yogurt on top and an apple.

Mmm, I love avocado! Glad today is going well so far.

And the Persian lentil stew sounds yummy, too!

Yes - the stew is a favorite of mine - barley, red lentil, carrot, potato, tomato, cardamom, cinnamon, currants, parsley & lemon - it's hearty, but not gloopy (the spices, currants and lemon lift it up).

Last night I was again tempted by chocolate - but made it through. I just have to keep choosing not to snack after dinner - but I think it will eventually get easier.

Enjoying the sunshine today and a quiet day at work.

It's good to check in here and keep myself honest.

It does get easier to not snack after dinner. I promise!
Rely on beverages in the evenings as needed.

Good job on resisting those temptations. It can definitely be a struggle, but I've already found that some of my former habits are beginning to nag me less as I continue to move forward with No S. I think it'll become easier for all of us. And yes, the accountability here is terrific.

I started to drink a ginger tea at the sofa every evening as a cue that dinner is over and have found I’m now genuinely looking forward to it.

Thanks for the encouragement.
I tried the tea thing last night and it was helpful - I chose a fruity tea that tastes sweet - so it was a nice snack-like thing.
I'm still hanging in there with no-s this week.
The snacks after dinner are the only real hurdle - so I suppose that's good.
It's been easy to avoid snacking during the day, not too temped by sweets, easy to say no to food at the office.
And I've been eating plenty at meals so I'm not hungry (or not unreasonably hungry) between meals.

All in all this is a good experiment and I think I'm making real progress on changing my habits!

Sounds like you are doing well. You'll lose the urge to evening snack in time.

Jx

Usual breakfast today - an egg, toast, avocado, coffee.
I'm really hungry for lunch - it's almost time!
I'm having left overs from Wed - chicken, grilled onion & peppers, cheese and tortilla - plus a cutie and a tiny banana.
Tonight we're helping at an event -so it'll be pizza for dinner. Hoping for some veggies or salad, too - but not sure that'll happen.

Looking forward to the weekend.

My family has just about finished off the last of a particularly delicious pile of avocados.