Everyday Systems

I've been fairly immoderate with eating and in other ways since I last checked in this summer. I dont have the peace of heart that I feel when I live a moderate lifestyle. So, that said, I'm glad to renew my No S habit of being today! It's fun! I'm not going to focus on losing weight so much and instead I want to take small daily steps toward a more balanced life. I notice that my drinking, spending and eating all go up and down together...then I dont sleep well, things get disorganized ..and then my husband and children get the worst of me..I get the worst of me. It's funny how not eating between meals helps stay on track in other areas of domestic life.

So today is day 1, No S and Glass Ceiling (no more than two 4oz glasses of wine etc any day or occasion).

It is so amazing how one good habit can bring others on-board, and how one bad habit can do the same!! Good luck finding that keystone habit that helps you find that balance that you crave! it's all about experimentation and being gentle with yourself when something doesn't work for you.

Day 1 Success
Breakfast: eggs and avocado
Lunch: salad with meat, nuts and olives
Dinner: beef and brocolli with sliced fruit for dessert and 8oz wine

Congrats! How did you feel?

Thanks Auto, as always, for your encouragement!
I felt great today! It was a bit tricky near dinner but I drank a lot of water..my little kids were ravenous and ate really well.. Its wonderful to eat when you're really hungry and there is such gratitude for the food and those sharing the meal!

I'm trying to focus on small tasks in short spans of time. I try to tidy up after each meal in 10 minutes. Tidy each room before bed but only what my family and I can do in 10 minutes. Meditate for 10 minutes...exercise for 10 minutes. I feel like that is doable. My house is tidy, I'm not stuffed on excess food...this day has helped me gauge what is reasonable and let go of binge eating, binge planning, binge cleaning etc

Last night I ended up having a third glass of wine before bed. And as is typical with drinking before bed I fell asleep quickly but woke up around 1 am and couldnt sleep well after that. It causes anxiety for me. This morning I was groggy but I am glad I didn't overeat as well. I'm trying to be honest with myself and gentle. Today I am trying again with Glass Ceiling. NoS at least went well.

I totally use the "limited time" motto. Usually I set a timer for 15 minutes, put on my headphones and a podcast (nutrition science, nearly always!), and then I ENJOY my time picking up dog poop, cleaning a litter box, breaking down recycle boxes, or cleaning toilets! I've been reading some books this summer that have put a new motto in my head when I feel myself getting wound up and trying to move too fast: "All I can do is what's right in front of me. This is all I need to do right now." For some reason, I find that motto calming.

Oh, and about the Glass Ceiling for today. One thing that helps me is after that 2nd glass, I rinse out the wine glass and immediately get myself 2 cans of sparkling water or diet sprite (yes, 2!). Then I sit down and make sure I drink them before bed. It may come at the cost of having to go to the bathroom during the night, but by the time I'm drinking the second one, I'm feeling super proud of myself for my clear-head and alcohol moderation. Ha!

Great advice Auto....the 2 can sparkling water is doable for sure:)

Day 2: NoS Success
Glass Ceiling Success
B: Porridge with bananas and walnuts. L: 2 small tuna sandwiches. D: spaghetti with meat sauce and popcorn lol

It was difficult not eating more spaghetti because it's my favorite dinner. I saved room for popcorn to watch the comedic presidential "debate" with my husband. I'm very happy I kept to the 2 drink maximum and followed with plenty of water because I feel better this morning than the one before. I am not intending to drink today. I also am going to refrain from screens for the most part and try to have a low key day with my little girls.

Congrats on the glass ceiling!

Sphaghetti was always a difficult meal for me to moderate! It tastes SOOOO good and hits all the right flavor notes.

We ALSO made popcorn for the debate! I told my kids it was like stand-up comedy.

Today was a success! ( NoS and no alcohol today)

Although my day was poorly planned I managed to stay on track food-wise. I made the mistake of taking my hungry children out for errands and I ended up stopping for fast food. I spent too much time distracted and not spending quality time with my little ones...I am realizing just how scattered I am and I am further convinced that making small changes like NoS etc can help focus my attention on the people and occupations I love.

We had a hilarious hodgepodge of left-overs for dinner which left all of us wanting : spaghetti, beans on toast, scrambled eggs. Lunch: 2 pears. Bfast: chicken sandwich and fries

Another NoS and Glass Ceiling success!
B: eggs on toast, 1/2 avocado. L: tuna sandwich, 1/2 avocado, cut carrots, apple slices, peanut butter. D: roasted chicken, potatoes. 1 can of hard cider

I'm feeling better. It's been very busy and I had a late night of work and my children have a cold but I still feel more centered with a few basic rules in place. I'm very grateful!

Great job Haley!

Friday was another success but I do feel that my dinner plate was overly full. And I saved chips from dinner for movie night with family which felt snacky....however I'm counting it a success because it could've fit on my plate and it was pre planned.

This is my first S day and I'm feeling really good! Thanks for the encouragement Auto and everyone!!

I had my first week of NoS success and 5 out of 7 days of Glass Ceiling. I am so grateful!
I had a beautiful weekend with my family. We planted apple and peach trees in our yard and had a bonfire later that night to roast weenies and make s'mores. It doesnt get better than that! We had a St Francis celebration on Sunday after Mass and I made a roast with vegetables. Everyone took a nap!!! Again, I am so grateful for everything in my life:)

This week my goal is to stay on course. I feel less emotional when my eating and drinking is in check. I also want to limit my phone/screen time. I am going to try to have it off between 9-12 while doing school with my daughters and again from 3-6 while tidying and getting dinner ready.
My weight this morning was 146, down from 150ish at 5ft 8'.
Thanks NoS community!

great job on the Glass Ceiling!

Looks like you're doing well on NoS and the glass ceiling. 5 out of 7 days is a great start.

Day 10 No S success and day 8 of Glass Ceiling!
5 pounds down, I'm feeling better and getting into the swing of not eating out of boredom or eating late into the night! I am feeling more detached from food yet enjoying each meal more with my family:)

Awesome update!

Awesome indeed!

Well done you. So pleased for you.

I am getting better at moderate drinking, I can easily not drink, it's usually my meals that dictate whether I have wine or not, some meals just seem to call out for a glass of red but I feel so much better if I don't have more than 2 small glasses.

Sparkling water helps a lot and I enjoy it.

Jx

Thanks for the encouragement everyone:)
I was humbled this weekend by my family's outpouring of love for me on my birthday. Saturday and Sunday were full of treats and great family time. I am so blessed!

Today is the beginning of week 3! Now I'd like to make sure that I add plenty of veggies to my meals. I noticed how few greens I actually eat now that I'm keeping track. Also I am adding a 10 minute exercise to my day.
Thanks:)

Hope you have a great week, Haley! And happy birthday!

Thank you Auto!
I have a quick question for any NoS mamas out there. I have been breastfeeding for over 5 consecutive years without a break in between children. I nursed while pregnant and then I tandem nursed my toddler and newborn! I am still nursing my 18 month old. I am feeling very depleted and I want to add super foods to my 3 meals a day. I think I might add bone broth and b vitamins...any thoughts from the community?

I added more veggies today, most came from our fall garden....b: eggs and avocado. L: pasta with meat sauce and left over oatmeal lol. D: stir fry with red cabbage, kale and sweet potatoes.

It was a good day:)

About the breast-feeding. One thing I read somewhere recently (but couldn't find this morning) - electrolytes are important for making enough milk and keeping up energy. I use a product called LMNT and it has really helped me not be dizzy/low blood pressure anymore. I had a couple of fainting episodes about a year ago, and ever since I started taking the LMNT at the first hint of light-headedness. Anyway, not sure if it's a great suggestion, but it was something that came to mind.

Definitely your nutrition is the big thing; and like you said, 5 years of constant breast-feeding has undoubtedly depleted your liver and bones of many important minerals and fat-soluble vitamins. In ancestral communities, pregnant and nursing moms were given more organ meats. But, well, none of us really like those, LOL - but hey, if you can find a good grass-fed source, go for it! If you can handle dairy (I don't remember), then yogurt is going to be a nice power punch for you. DHA and EPA are super important for you to refill on - those are going to be super abundant in fish like salmon and sardines.

I like your idea of bone broth (I buy Kettle and Fire and put my meat of choice in the broth for my dinners). And most of us seem to need more B vitamins, so that sounds good too.

Good luck. No matter how well-nourished we are, pregnancies and breastfeeding and chasing toddlers make for the "tired" years. Hang in there.

Auto, thank you so much for taking the time to give me your advice! It sounds very good, I'm going to look for the electrolytes you mentioned and I found a good source for grass fed cow liver and bones as well as cod liver oil for all the nutrients you mentioned. I really appreciate your mom to mom suggestions....also, I've had a few fainting spells myself recently...I'm excited to begin taking better care of myself and I'm truly grateful for your thoughts and support:)

I definitely had a No S fail on Tuesday, I snacked before dinner and ate sweets. But I'm very glad that I didn't get demoralized and carry on like that for days. I would like to get to 21 days of NoS with no fails and I'm glad to start again. I took Automatedeating's advice and got a mineral and electrolyte supplement that has helped me feel much better. Thanks Auto!
I find that adding good nutrition is easier than merely focusing on eliminating certain foods. I'm preparing healthier meals and I dont feel deprived and neither does my family. My mentality has been more balanced lately with less catastrophic thinking or "all or nothing" behavior. What a relief.

Good for you for not letting your “fail” derail you. It definitely took me awhile to get a 21 day green streak. I like the other suggestion to look at your whole month with the olympics framework. 1 red=gold; 2 red=silver ;3 reds=bronze. That helps a bit with perfectionist thinking perhaps.

Glad you’re feeling a bit better!

Glad the electrolytes are helping!

I've had a couple of wild days myself..... we all get it and the important thing is to mark it and move on, which it sounds like you are doing splendidly at.

I haven't checked in for a while...I also have not been NoSing very consistently either. So I will be checking in daily again to help me stay on track. I'd really like to put together 21 days of consistent NoS days. The only extra S day for me this month is Thanksgiving. Also, I'm re-working Glass Ceiling. I will only drink 2 servings of alcohol on Sunday or on one S day of the week...let's just say that daily drinking is hard on my body and I suspect I will be much less prone to depression once I remove my daily dose of depressant lol. To fill the void of alcohol I have a stock pile of herbal teas for an evening beverage.
Thanks for being there NoS community:)

The herbal tea is a great idea for susbstitute for alcohol. I also like either decaf coffee w/cream or milk, and/or diet sprite. Sometimes maybe kombucha.

I'm having "dry days" today through Sunday, since I'm visiting my family and for some reason it's actually easier to not drink when I'm staying somewhere else (this is probably the opposite from most people!)

Hope you have a great November.

Thanks Auto, I hope you have a great time with family!

My weight today is 146.5. My pre-baby weight was 139. My goal is to not keep creeping up in size. Really I just want to take much better care of my health and soul and not teach my girls through example that bingeing and dieting is ok or the norm...I really want peace of heart. Sticking to NoS is surprisingly hard for me because I overcomplicate it. Yet it is so easy to pick right back up and the peace of heart I feel not eating between meals and being forced to actually deal with my boredom or problems is worth it.
Also, I found a really helpful 15 minute workout online that has been helping me both physically and mentally! My goal is to stick to it along with NoS for 21 days.

Here's my food today:
Breakfast: coffee, oatmeal, 3 hardboiled eggs
Lunch: chicken soup and bread
Almond latte
Dinner: stir fry with beef, rice and veggies and bread with hummus
No alcohol

Eggs on toast
2 tuna sandwiches
Leftover tuna, veggies and black beans, non dairy icecream

I love eggs on toast! And tuna fish sandwiches!

I had a great weekend with family:) my husband and I did our favorite activities together: talk, nap, play guitar, read, run around the yard with our little girls...and eat delicious ribs!!
Only 1 glass of wine on Saturday and 2 on Sunday...I'm feeling so much better with less alcohol so I think my mod is very useful.
Food monday:
Oatmeal, tuna sandwich, roast potatoes with greens and beef.
Also I got a Fantastic 1990s workout dvd by Theresa Tapp...its only 15 minutes, funny moves and makes my kids laugh hysterically...totally worth it!

Oh I bet that's fun to be silly with the kids and jumping around. That kind of silly movement is therapeutic!!

Well...I'm pregnant! My fourth!
Wow...a surprise for sure but a very good one:) I am excited to tweak my NoS system for nutrient density to support my baby. And no drinking or overdoing the sweets as I've been over the holidays is a welcome change.
So here are my pregnancy Mods...(advice is welcome from any NoS mommas or parents out there):
3 meals per day
3 servings of leafy greens
Good fats in moderation
Protein in each meal
Daily prenatal vitamins
Most days 20 minute prenatal workout (but sleep comes first)
Prayers are greatly appreciated! Thank you NoS community:)

Congrats on your 4th!! How exciting

Whoop whoop! That is exciting news to start off the new year!

Since this is your 4th, you probably have a lot of knowledge already about how you are able to survive the 1st trimester. I didn't do NoS back then. If I had (and here I'm totally just speculating), I think I would have ended up trying to have 5 small, but pre-planned and prepared meals a day. I always felt queasy and needed a little something in my stomach, but I didn't really have a big appetite, if that makes sense. So I think if I had PLANNED for those 5 small meals - that would have been great. I think the only rules I would (realistically) try to impose would be to avoid sweets and seconds on the weekdays (sweets because obviously those aren't nutrient rich, and seconds because getting overly full actually made my nausea worse). Leafy greens sounded like nasty nasty nasty to me. So good luck with that, haha! I always craved beef and cheese tortillas - go figure.

Congratulations, lovely news to start the year. Follow your appetite and instinct, your body will know what it needs.

Jx

Thanks everyone:)
I'm about 6 weeks along and as of yet I have no nausea, thankfully!
I've made bone broth and got some good ingredients and this week I'm focusing on feeding myself and my family well.
My goals today:
20 minute prenatal workout
3 healthy meals + vitamins
Plenty of water
Get outside