Everyday Systems

Hi folks. I am a very loyal daily Habit Cal user and longtime No-S board member. I used to have an active check in thread when I first started out doing No-S in 2012, and got so much support and learned so much from the other members at that time. The boards were very active back then and the support from the other members as well as the whole set up so generously provided for by Reinhard was instrumental in helping me to cultivate some really great habits that have helped me keep my weight pretty stable over the past 9 years. And when things start to go in the wrong direction, as they tend to do from time to time, I have always been able to come back to No-S to fine tune my habits and get things back under control. Habit Cal has been a great tool for me, and after filling in my calendar I usually pop in and read the boards. I had been contemplating starting up a check in thread for some time, but just never seemed to find the motivation to do so, and I felt awkward and a bit guilty about lurking and never commenting on anything !

So, despite the fact that the boards have been very quiet lately, it was kind of a shock when I read the message from Reinhard about discontinuing the boards. Of course I can completely understand from his perspective why he is thinking about this. I have been so grateful for the effort he has put into sharing this with us over the years, and I know I am not the only one who has found it an incredibly useful resource. But I can imagine that it does take a lot of time and energy to keep it all going.

His decision to let the boards continue on for a while longer, kind of felt like a wake up call to be a more active participant to show my support for him, his work and the other users here. I don't want to write a tome on my first day back, but I will be posting on a more regular basis for as long as Reinhard feels he has the time and energy to allow the boards to continue.

Welcome back

Jx

Great to hear from a long time No Ser

Thanks Soprano, thanks Ladybird!

My Habit Cal is has been looking very red - my niece is visiting, our first family from the US visiting since Covid started, so we have been out and about taking her places, which is (for me) not conducive to doing great on my habits. Except for exercise - that is no problem with all the walking around we're doing. Ah well...better in October.

Wow, first fully green week I have had in AGES - and I am so pleased. I am really working hard to get good habits strongly established before the holiday craziness begins...

congrats on the green week.

Yes, Brian Wansink of Mindless Eating fame said the few months before the holidays can make a big difference in how we eat during them. I still remember I went off the rails when my first three green weeks were just before thanksgiving in 2008. Rookie mistake! Not fearing that now.

Congratulations on a green week and welcome back! I had the same wake-up call when I saw that Reinhard was talking about ending the boards.

Thanks for stopping by, Ladybird, Oolala & Pinkhippie! Interesting to know that how the weeks before the holidays can have such an impact on how well we do during the holidays themselves...even more motivation to tighten things up right now. Last week was not as good on the No-S side of things, but another fully green week on No Alcohol. So this week's goal is to do better on the food and keep going on No Alcohol (I have a goal of no alcohol until the end of the year - I find just this one tweak has a huge impact.) Wishing everyone a green week this week!

Good luck!
The week is almost over! I hope you are doing well with your no alcohol challenge!

Thanks Pinkhippie! So far still 100% on no alcohol, but the No-S side of things is another matter, although yesterday was green after the first half of the week being red. Going for a green Friday, to end the week on a high note.

Another fully green week on both alcohol and No-S! I started doing 5:2 calorie cycling this week to give myself an extra boost before the holidays - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-52-diet - it's basically two days a week where you limit yourself to 500 calories, and the rest of the days you eat normally. Which is nicely compatible with No-S, I just have my normal meals but smaller. Hope everyone is doing well!

Congrats on the green week for both alcohol and food.

Thanks, Ladybird!

Good for you with the green week with No S and alcohol!

I have never been able to do 5:2 and I'm impressed with anyone that can. I hope your week is going well!

Aww, thanks Pinkhippie. I tried 5:2 back in 2012 I think when the documentary first came out, and wasn't able to sustain it then, either. I have no idea why it has clicked for me now, but I think it has something to do with slowly changing my eating habits over the past decade. For the time being, the fast days don't seem too hard - late afternoon before dinner is the most challenging moment, but like with No-S I know I just have to hold off til my next plate - it's no emergency. And lots of water, coffee and tea really helps!

That makes sense with the changed eating habits making 5:2 easier. I feel that way about No S. WHen I first tried No S back in 2010, it was extremely difficult because it was SO different than how I was eating at the time. Now, over time my habits have become much more closely aligned to No S even on days I don't have "success". It really makes a difference! That's so great that 5 2 has clicked for you this time! I have the hardest time in the late afternoon before dinner as well.

I hope you had a great holiday!

Thanks, Pinkhippie! Yes, when you look back and see how your eating habits have slowly evolved over time, it's kind of amazing. Like you, even on days when I am not in full No-S mode, the habits are so ingrained now that I follow some of them without thinking about it. Like having one plate of food, that has become the norm for me.

Thats great that one plate of food has become the norm!

I need to work on that. Snacking is something I almost never do, sweets on weekdays are rare except holidays but seconds is my biggest weakness on No S.

Hope you are doing well!

Thanks, Pink! Things are moving along fine here - I will say that a side benefit to all the covid measures is not having a bunch of social engagements centered around food, which has made my December a lot easier with regards to sticking to my eating routine. So there's that. I have consciously made an effort to take advantage of it and the scale is moving to where I have wanted it to be for my entire adult life, which makes me very happy. I am one pound away from a normal BMI, which has been a very elusive, seemingly unobtainable, goal for me for the past 27 years (since my oldest son was born). Right now I am highly motivated to reach it by the end of the year!

What I have been doing I would describe as a mash up of No-S, no wine, 5:2 fasting and WFPBNO. I don't do any of it 100% perfect! I try to focus on being consistent and try not to beat myself up for little slips here and there. Some weeks I fast two days and some weeks just one day. This week, Wednesday will be my fasting day. The fasting days are not too bad. I spread about 500 calories over three small meals and drink a lot of water and tea.

This seems to work for me right now, so I am not going to overthink it too much! But something I have noticed is that the fasting days have in some strange way made me realize that I really don't need so much food - that I can do just fine on a bit less. Which is huge for me, because I have always been that person who could always eat and eat, regardless of hunger signals.

Anyway, hope you all have happy, healthy and peaceful holidays!

WFPBNO? A new one to me. Anyway, good to see that you are almost technically not overweight. Especially at this time of year.

Thanks Ladybird! WFPBNO = whole foods plant based no oil

Congrats! That is awesome that what you are doing is working! Its such a good feeling to reach that not overweight BMI! I have noticed with IF sometimes that I don't need as much food as I think I do. I think it definitely puts me in touch with my hunger signals.

Thanks, Pink! Yes, it makes me happy, it's been a long time coming. I was just thinking to myself that I finally feel like there are some habits I could really see doing for the rest of my life to be able to maintain my current weight - things like continuing on with No-S, the kind of foods I eat, and also pretty much permanently abstaining from alcohol. Before I could never imagine doing that for the rest of my life and now I can. I guess I have finally learned, after all these years, that the habits I establish to lose the weight are going to mostly be the habits I continue to uphold to keep it off.

I guess I have finally learned, after all these years, that the habits I establish to lose the weight are going to mostly be the habits I continue to uphold to keep it off.

Yes! I really think this is the key. It's why so many Ways of eating don't work! You have to be able to keep doing it consistently. It's one reason I love No S. It feels natural and normal and sustainable. I like to do IF on and off but I haven't yet been able to make it a lifestyle change. I go through phases where I just really love breakfast foods and eating breakfast.

I know what you mean, Pink, about going through phases with habits - I have done this, too. I guess I feel like all these years and years of doing No-S very imperfectly, but always having it as my home base, or default eating habits, has paid off in the end. There have been some recent discussions on different threads about focusing on habit instead of on the scale, and I agree that this is a much more productive way to go, but hard to sustain if you are not seeing the results you want.

But maybe it is possible to combine the two approaches? Focus on the habits, no matter what, no matter how often you fail, just keep going and at the same time, keep an eye on your weight, weigh in as often as you need to to keep your motivation and focus going. I am not going to lie, getting on the scale and hitting the normal range of BMI this morning (24.95 ) is way more motivating to me than the green days I see on my HabitCal, but I needed both of them to get me here.

Wishing everyone here peace with food and good health in 2022!

Congrats on hitting normal BMI, and happy new year as well.

Thank you, Ladybird!

I agree keeping an eye on weight is helpful but for me, once I reach maintenance and Im not actively losing anymore, its not the motivator that it used to be. I think that is where habits really shine. You don't need to be motivated to do habits. At least I hope eventually not! I find I do best when I really focus on habits day by day and check in on weight every once in a while. I also like to think whatever weight I reach over time sticking to the habits I feel good about and are sustainable is my weight goal, not a number I have picked. This is easier for me than some though probably because I seem to hover at the high end of the normal BMI when faithfully following No S. I haven't actually followed it long enough without trying to restrict at some point to know if eventually, it would lead to weight loss. Anyway, lots of interesting things to "chew" on regarding habits and weight.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, Pink! I agree, habits should ideally become automatic to the point that you don't need to be externally motivated to keep doing them. You just do them without thinking about it. I am not yet there and I still have old habits that pop up if I am not vigilant. Still a work in progress for me!

Holding steady at BMI of 24-25 with one day of fasting per week, combined with my other habits. I just hope I don't blow it all up with my upcoming trip to Texas to visit my mom (if we test negative for Covid that is, and can get on the plane) - being thrown into that food environment is going to be challenging. I need to think about how I am going to navigate it. Suggestions are welcome!

Its easy for me to say, but my best suggestion is to think ahead to any situation where you might be tempted or might be under social pressure to eat more than your body needs at the time. Then also think ahead of some polite way of dealing with social pressure. If temptation from the goodies is going to be the problem, then be selective, and enjoy what you do eat.
If disruption from your usual routine is going to be the main problem, then try to avoid random snacking and grazing, and eat most of your food at mealtimes.

Enjoy your visit!

Ladybird, thanks so much for your thoughts on this...I really appreciate your methodical approach, first determining what the actual specific problem is and then thinking about what the most useful solution to it would be. This is very helpful!

The problem situation I worry about the most is getting sucked in to drinking a lot of wine. My mother and other members of the family are big wine drinkers, and the celebratory feeling of seeing them again after so much time will make it hard to resist joining in. Letting go of wine was one of the big factors in my weight loss and I know it has a huge impact. I am still thinking about how best to handle this. A one-glass ceiling? Complete abstinence? Complete abstinence would be the safest bet, because I find even one glass of wine can put me in that "don't care" mindset... One thing I could do if I want to join in, would be tell my son and daughter-in-law (who are coming with me), that I want to stick to one glass of wine and ask for their help in reminding me of my decision. Also, remind myself of how lousy I feel when I have more than one glass and how it messes up my sleep.

I am less worried about social pressure to eat or goodies that might be around my mom's house, because as a long term vegan, I am pretty solid in my habits and preferences about food I eat, but maybe more worried about eating random junk when healthy food might not be available while we are on the road. The national park we are going to visit let us know that we need to bring in our own food due to delivery and staffing problems in their catering, which ironically is a huge relief for me, because it gives me a solid reason to make sure we bring a lot of healthy alternatives we can make ourselves, instead of just relying on what would have been available on site.

The general No-S habits that are pretty ingrained will be a big help with disruption to my usual routine, as long as I am mindful, like you suggested, about avoiding random snacking and grazing, and just sticking to my one plate at mealtimes. In 2012 we did a big road trip around the US and I basically stuck to my No-S habits and it helped a lot, so I can also remind myself that I have done this before and I can do it again. That is the beauty of No-S to me - the fact that you can just stick to it in almost any situation.

Of course, all of this is moot if I test positive for Covid and don't get on the plane on Sunday! So...if I don't post here on Sunday, it means I passed the test and am on my way...fingers crossed!

Alcohol is a biggie - I don't have to struggle because I gave up alcohol completely when a young woman for health reasons.
I am fortunate that my social group only drinks in moderation, and although I sometimes encounter surprise, no one is offended if I don't drink.

I can only suggest that you be clear in your own mind before you go as to what you want to do, and as for food, have strategies in place.

And keep thinking of what you will want to tell us, though you don't have to please us! Maybe I mean more think of us rooting you on to stick to what you know are reasonable limits. You will feel so much happier when your head hits the pillow... and even better, when you wake up the next day.

Thanks Ladybird and Oolala! Excellent suggestions - get clear ahead of time on what I want to do, and imagine posting here to support that Yes to reasonable limits, strategies, and not being mad at myself when I go to bed at night! Sometimes it feels annoying that I "have" to think about all this stuff, but I know that being mentally prepared helps a lot with these kinds of challenging situations, and makes it possible not to undo all my hard work. I will definitely keep you posted on how it goes.

We tested negative for Covid on Saturday afternoon!

In the absence of the social limits that used to apply to food for everyone, and to alcohol for women, we have to apply our own limits, which I think may be some what harder.

I think it's definitely harder. Hunter gatherers are slim because they don't have much of a choice! And we know about (disappearing) French limits. Repeating myself but the book The Hungry Brain started with the story of a man who migrated from a subsistence tribe to an urban center. When he went home for a visit, he was 50 lbs. heavier than the heaviest man in his former community. He did not leave that way.

But the moderate-on-purpose tribe is a nice one!

Congrats on testing negative! I hope you had a great visit and were able to stick to the habits you wanted to maintain with alcohol and food!

Hiya, we made it back from Texas safe and sound and at the moment my biggest challenge is getting over this darn jetlag - it really seems to get harder the older I get.

Regarding food and alcohol during the two weeks I was there: I wasn't perfect but I am mostly happy about how I handled things. I notice I am getting better about ordering in restaurants (figuring out how to order something healthier and smaller), and the one plate habit is very strong when we ate at home. I managed to stick to two glasses of wine max when there was wine on offer, except for one evening (and I really noticed the impact on my sleep that night!). My mother's house is a nightmare (or a paradise, depending on how you look at it, of course) for sweets eaters - lots of cookies, pie, kolache, chocolate - but I am very grateful not to be a big sweets eater, so that didn't bother me, although I did try a few things. My nemesis is anything salty like chips, but I managed to contain those kinds of foods to a pre-decided portion if I did have them.

All in all, I am happy with how it went. My weight stayed the same which is a huge victory. Previous visits to the family in the US have always meant a few pounds gain. And it did not feel super hard or like I had to be vigilant all the time, which was really nice. Could it be that all these years of working on habit building is paying off? Whatever it is, I feel like I am in a good place at the moment, and I am thrilled to be back in my own comfortable home food environment. Thanks again for the support!

Sounds like you had a good trip - congrats on the progress you have made.

Congratulations on a successful trip! That is so great that you have such a strong one-plate habit! That is something I am still working on with dinner. And congratulations for sticking to your alcohol glass ceiling even on vacation!

Sounds like you did really well, and hopefully, the transition to being back at home was even smoother than usual.

I'm going to assume that things are sailing along.

I'm working on a binge eating coaching certificate and the one person I practiced with- though she's also becoming a coach and already has her habits pretty well in place- added a couple of deviations for a family visit where the habit it to eat all day long. We'll see how it goes but like you, she's adopted mostly meal-based eating. She took off over 70 lbs. and is holding steady, though I didn't ask her where that landed her. The habit is so much more important.

Thanks for checking in, No-S friends! I've been home for a month now, and honestly, it took me a good ten days to get over the jet lag and the whole month of February to get back into my normal eating and exercising routine. What is that all about? I am not sure...maybe being tired and out of my usual routine, plus the mental energy needed to keep boundaries around what I was eating and drinking while I was there, created a rebound effect once I got home? It was frustrating not to be able to get a handle on things, after having been happy with how I did in Texas.

So, I wouldn't call it sailing along - it felt more like I was in a rowboat in choppy water, trying to hold steady until I could get back to shore! Now I feel like I've reached calmer waters, and while rowing is hard work initially, and requires continuous effort, once you get into the swing of it, and get some momentum going, things move along. Until the next time I hit choppy waters, of course...

But I think this is the gift that strong habits give us longer term - that solid foundation that gives us a clear blueprint of what we need to do to get back on track. Phew!

Amy3010 wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 09, 2022 6:18 am

But I think this is the gift that strong habits give us longer term - that solid foundation that gives us a clear blueprint of what we need to do to get back on track.

Yes, indeed. I believe that lapses are inevitable, its what I do next that counts.

Well said, Ladybird: Lapses are inevitable, it is what I do next that counts. This is a keeper!

I have been maintaining in the normal BMI range for the past few months now, which was a big goal of mine for years. I think deep down I never really believed I could get to where I am now. I am thrilled and very grateful about that. I am doing a four week fitness challenge that I have done in the past and for the first time my focus is on toning up and getting back in shape (I had a shoulder injury last summer and it really put a damper on my exercise routine - am only now just getting back into it) and not on the weight loss, although it is always in the back of my mind. But I notice the eating part of the fitness challenge (which is more restrictive than my "normal" eating routine) is triggering some bingey behaviors that I really don't want to encourage... I think I need to stick to what works for me on the food side of things and not let myself get swept up in trying to do a restrictive eating plan, because I know that will backfire eventually...

Good luck with the exercise regime, I agree re the restrictive eating, be careful. Well done on maintaining your BMI.

Jx

Well done Amy.

I agree that jeopardizing your moderate eating with further restrictions will probably be counterproductive. Especially if your fitness program increases your calorie needs anyway.

Thanks for your input, Soprano and Ladybird...it helps a lot to hear you confirm what I was thinking. I guess years of doing this have made us rightfully wary of anything too restrictive.

Hi Amy,

Where did you begin at weight wise? I wonder why you feel the need for further restrictions? It seems like you've done wonderfully.

Thank you, Kyl. I don't feel the need for further restrictions on the food side of things, but I really wanted to get back into a good exercise routine, which the fitness challenge is helping me do. I just have to make sure I steer clear of the food guidelines that go with it...which is not always as easy as it might seem, but I am working on it. It has been quite a good wake up call to see how this affects me.

I'm exercising too, but I try to keep it reasonable. My deal is that I only exercise on N Days at least 15 minutes and no more than an hour. That way I'm always getting something in even if it's hectic and I'm never exercising excessively. Mostly I either walk (traditionally or with walking videos). Sometimes I add in toning exercises.

I'm concerned, because you say this is a challenge. If it's too hard you won't continue with it or you might get hurt. Something you can keep doing forever is better than something you do for a few weeks and quit. Of course, I don't know all that in involved, but I associate Challenge with a really hard workout. Just stay safe okay?

Good Luck and God Bless

I

How is your exercise challenge going Amy?

Thanks for checking in, Lady and Kyl - my exercise is going really well, I am loving being back into the routine of doing either an online workout or a 45 minute walk every day. I have been a regular exerciser and gym-goer for years, so I have always done some form of regular exercise - I don't think I could have maintained my sanity raising three boys without it For the past three years, I have been doing a program by a woman who runs her own personal training business in London, Annie Deadman. (The food side of her program fits perfectly with No-S, but I find it is a bit too restrictive for me, so I have learned this time around to just stick to my normal way of eating.)

I bought her book in 2019, started doing it on my own that first year, and joined several of the 3 week online challenges she offers throughout 2020 and 21. She offers a few of them each year, but during the lockdowns she ran them back to back, which was great. When she does not have an online program going, I regularly do her free exercise videos on Youtube.

The great thing about Annie is that she really caters to women of my age demographic (50+) and offers lots of modifications for all levels of fitness but at the same time encourages you to challenge yourself. I credit the fact that I did not actually break anything when I fell skating last summer to the basic fitness and strength I have built up over the years with regular workouts. I think Oolala has brought this up recently, and I think it is so important - we do need to challenge our muscles and bones as we age with regular exercise, including weight-bearing or resistance exercise, or we will lose muscle, strength and resilience and become really vulnerable to injuring ourselves, not to mention the blood sugar issues.

When I was younger, working out was all about weight loss for me. But now I do it for my health, to feel fit and strong, and for my mood. Weight loss, I have finally learned, is all about getting my food right.

I exercise for the same reasons as well.

This sounds like something you can do forever if you modify it. That's so great!

I just wrapped up the workout challenge and am back to "regular programming", which means some kind of exercise every day, whether it be yoga, walking, walk-run, a resistance workout, or swimming. I aim to get two resistance workouts in each week.

On Ladybird's thread, she listed three things that help her be successful at No-S, which I thought was so inspiring! It made me think about what things have been most helpful to me on this long journey. I think they would be:

1. Not letting failures trip me up, but just marking them on my Habit Cal every day and moving forward - giving myself a clean slate every single day

2. Focusing on the structure and establishing the habit of three one plate meals without worrying about what was on my plates in the beginning

3. Reading my list of reasons why I want to do this every day

Thanks Amy

Congrats on finishing a challenge. I'm assuming the challenge part had more to do with consistency than doing some kind of P90X blowout, which is not something associated with long term health.

So many good reasons to work out besides weight loss. Good thing, too, because I read a fascinating book- called Burn, appropriately- on how the body burns calories-and the researcher found over and over that the body rarely expends any more calories overall from exercise. The exercise can burn calories but up until quite large amount, the body will just use fewer calories somewhere else. But resistance will build muscle that changs the look of the body as well as strength and just a rush of wonderful rejuvenating processes afterwards. Less vigorous stuff like walking and really nearly every other kind of exercise will work on other stuff, one of which is appetite. Consistent exercise leads to lower appetite. There is no pill or concoction that can replicate it.

You really have all the plates spinning very nicely!

Thank you, Oolala! Yes, it was most definitely a consistency challenge - the workouts are tailored to 50+ women and have lots of modifications if something is too hard.

I had some company at the end of May that threw me out of my normal routine, and included some recreational eating, but am now back in the groove of good habit energy. This way of life is about constant course correction, isn't it?

Good for you with the exercise!

I recently started lifting weights again because I felt like a weakling and things like changing the sheets were hard! It's definitely a constant course correction! I think I took about a year off formal exercise... But I needed it. I had so many injuries that I wasn't giving myself enough time to heal. I feel like Im starting from a clean slate with all injuries healed now. And Like you, for me now exercise is not about weight loss, it's about health and trying to feel good and enjoy life more.

Thanks, Pink! Good for you, too, on getting back into it. It does feel like a clean slate when you've been off for a while due to injury.

My process goal for July and August is to get lots and lots of green on my Habit Cal - I track No-S and No Wine. The last time I had months that were mainly all green was back in November and December. Hard to believe I did that during the holiday months but I did. It does help to look back at it and remind myself I can do it.

I've been tracking drinking too, it's easy to get carried away when socialising which we do a lot these days.

I count no alcohol or 1 glass a success

Jx

Hi Soprano! Yes, it really is easy to get carried away with alcohol! Abstaining from it has been a huge piece of the weight loss puzzle for me. It was really hard at first, but it has gotten easier over time. Aside from the addictive qualities, and the habit of it, also how drinking is such a big part of socialising and celebrating - it is hard to feel like you are participating when you don't have a drink in your hands, and even if you feel okay about it, then sometimes it makes other people feel uncomfortable. What a minefield!

Well done on the alcohol front!!!

Thank you, Ladybird! I will be having some celebratory bubbles today, though - our youngest son graduates from university!

I guess I have slowly shifted from someone who had a couple of glasses of wine pretty much every evening, to enjoying it as a special treat for a special occasion. And I am happy with that.

You’re giving me inspiration Amy - I’ve got into a rut of a glass of wine every night! It can’t be healthy…

My friend calls wine ‘coping juice’ which is unfortunately how I often see it….

Congratulations on your youngest son’s graduation!

Hi Octavia, and thank you!

Coping juice - now that is an apt description! I found I was having a very hard time mindfully limiting it to one glass, and it really began to affect my sleep. Not to mention not feeling my best in the morning, and the extra calories. For me, taking a huge step away from the wine was very beneficial.

Congrats on the no alcohol and your son's graduation! Wow! That is so great!

Thanks, Pink! This weekend we are helping to move my oldest son and his girlfriend into the house they just bought - a big job! I am feeding everyone tomorrow night - going to be making some salads ahead of time today. It's been a very full and busy week, but I did manage to keep to my green lines yesterday, finally. Earlier this week I was all over the place with my eating and I had wine on Wednesday after spending the day in their house, helping to clean. And I realized it just didn't make me feel better or more relaxed to have it, on the contrary. I feel calmer and more in control when I stick to my lines. Funny that it took me so many years to figure that out, but oh well

hi amy!

thanks for stopping by my thread—been awhile though i know!
we seem to be on the same page with the drinking thing. my one glass a night was creeping into 2 or 3 drinks with an occasional cocktail thrown in there. reflecting on this, i realized it was starting to take a toll on me. wasn’t good for my self-esteem, my depression, my skin, brain, liver…so many things. i joined the reframe app and it’s just helped me so much. it does cost $ but been totally worth it for me. really important to do the daily tasks as well as interact on the forum.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reframe-d ... 1485756576

it’s mostly about just cutting back to whatever seems like a reasonable amount to you but the do have a completely sober option as well.

anyway, so for the ramble but happy to be back and good to see you’re still active on here.

Nice to see you here again, Linda! Yeah, the alcohol thing - it really is a big factor in so many issues.

I just got back from 3 weeks in the states, visiting my mom again. Had to navigate all the same hurdles as when I went in January, and I am fairly happy with how I did. I am getting better at not going along with wine drinking or recreational eating just because everyone else is doing it. It is such a relief to be back home and in my normal food environment!

Amy3010 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 26, 2022 8:53 am

I am getting better at not going along with wine drinking or recreational eating just because everyone else is doing it. It is such a relief to be back home and in my normal food environment!

Well done Amy!

Thanks Ladybird!

Ten days since we got back from Texas and I am finally over my jet lag and slept normally for the first time last night - crazy how long it takes me to readjust these days. We were there three weeks and even though I felt like I did pretty well, I gained three pounds. We did a big road trip for 12 days (3300 miles total) and that was the most challenging part, food-wise. Anyway, back to normal, finally!

Wow, that sounds like a big road trip! Sounds like a lot of fun though. I can't imagine foodwise a road trip for 12 days. In my family that would be Mcdonalds and pizza like every day.

Glad you are over your jet lag!

Yeah, it's a challenge! We didn't stop at any fast food places but I had pizza three times! Other than that, we had a few really nice dinners at local restaurants (I researched places to eat ahead of time because I try to find places I can eat vegan - it's not always possible but in a couple of places I got a baked potato with a side salad, which was fine for me) We cooked one dinner ourselves (spaghetti with tomato sauce and a big salad) at an airb&b where we had a kitchen. For lunches, we had bread and fixings to make sandwiches for ourselves most days. Otherwise I picked up sandwiches for us in a convenience store. We were doing a lot of national parks so I made sure we always had a packed lunch with us. Breakfasts were either at hotel buffets or instant oatmeal and fruit we brought with us. I am a big planner and especially so when it comes to food - I get anxious if I don't know what or where we are going to eat.

And the last two nights we were staying with our friends in Oklahoma, and they fixed delicious home cooked meals for us, which was awesome.

It sounds like you really did the best you could to plan for meals on your trip.

Thanks, Ladybird! Being able to look things up on the internet, including restaurant menus, helps a lot. We ended up going to a place in Bismark, North Dakota, that we would have never gone to (just going from the outside of the building, it looked like a dive!) that ended up being a wonderful meal in a very friendly local place. Same with a burger place in Ogalala, Nebraska - we were looking for a stop for dinner and this place got great reviews, so we decided to try it. It did not look promising at all from the outside, but it ended up being great. They even had vegan options!

I love going to questionable places on road trips and having them turn out to be amazing places to eat! Its so fun to discover those hidden gems on road trips! Sounds awesome!

just wanted to say “hi” & see how you’re doing.

sounds like you had a great trip! coming home always feels good though no matter how much fun the trip was.

glad you’re back in your groove!

Thanks for stopping by, Linda! It's been a busy fall, had two rounds of house guests and that always gets me out of my routine - I feel like I need to recover! And the holidays are right around the corner... Always something, right?

It's so nice to see that there is some more activity around here, just in time for the last month of 2022! I always feel like December is a watershed month as far as food habits - if I really focus on getting my N-Days right, it can be a great time to renew my habit energy and finish the year out feeling really good about myself. But if I don't, it seems like the month just runs away with me and I end up all over the place with food, and feel terrible by the end. That is not what I want! My goal is to wake up on January 1st feeling good about myself and where I am with food and wine.

I post every day on Habit Cal and am going to post here more often this month too. Let's have a great green month!

Hi Amy, I see you are located in Belgium, we are neighbours as I am from NL.

Seems like you handle you no-S lifestyle pretty well! I feel the same about December though, it can go all over the place. But you got this! I'm in, I also want to feel good on January 1st. And even better, January 1st will be an S-day, haha.

Hi Ellis, thanks for stopping by! And how cool that we are neighbors
Yes, we are lucky this year how the holidays fall on S days! I feel really motivated to do well on the N days this month. Dec 1st is in the bag. I am taking it day by day. So focusing on today - when I am in a good groove I plan out what I am going to eat for the day in the morning (instead of food logging after meals - I found this worked better for me).
Have a great green Friday, everyone!

Just wanted to share a motivating blog post by Kathryn Hansen (from Brain over Binge) on not letting everything go in December. In it, she says:

You don’t want to spend another December being miserable, promising yourself you will do better in January. You can do better now. You can learn to recognize all of those faulty brain messages that drive you toward binge eating, and stop believing them. You can stop believing thoughts that say it somehow makes sense to binge through this month. You know that it doesn’t make sense, and you can absolutely break this cycle. Just think of how amazing you’ll feel if you gain control of your binge eating before the new year, before the start of your typical resolution. Challenge yourself to do something different this year—break the pattern, and stop waiting until later for freedom from binge eating.

https://brainoverbinge.com/december-bin ... Newsletter

Thanks for the quote Amy. Another way of looking at it is that promising ourselves that we will behave well tomorrow helps justify our current behaviour today. I used to do that a lot about food.

Welp, December bit me in the rear end - I have only managed three green days this month so far! Last December I did so much better. Having all the pre-covid social events back on the calendar this year threw me for a loop.

The only thing to do is to mark them and move on. I am determined to see some more green on my Habit Cal next week. In the meantime, I wish everyone here a peaceful holiday weekend.

Back in the saddle, or possibly behind the reindeer.

Good thing that Dec is only once a year then.

Indeed!

Happy New Year, everyone! Wishing you all a year full of green days and peace around food.

Thank you and to you.

Jx

Happy New Year to you too Amy

It is so nice that the boards are nice and active lately!
Welcome welcome to new folks and those of us who have been around the block once or twice or a few times here

Having been hanging around here for a while myself, I can say that No-S is the only thing that gives me sanity and structure with my eating. And although I am far from perfect with it, I know I would be in a much darker place without it. Just the fact of practicing, working on it, trying, and having it in the back of my mind, continues to help me to put healthy limits around what and how much I am eating, even if I slip up frequently.
I try very hard not to let perfectionism trip me up, but at the same time, it is a fine line between that and letting myself off the hook too much. Does anyone else struggle with this balance?

Hi Amy!

Nice to see you! I was also just thinking how nice it was to see the boards busy again.

I was just talking about this balance between perfectionism and not doing the habit consistently enough over on lpearlmoms check-in. That is definitely a tricky balance! I have gotten better at it over the years but it takes constant awareness and practice.

I am as strict as I can be about the 3 meals until it interferes with other goals such as enough sleep or exercise. But I cut myself a lot of slack about how much I eat at meals, up to the point where I know if I eat any more it will be for the sake of eating, not because I need more food. I rarely go beyond that point nowadays.

Hi Pink, Hi Lady!
I think what you both point out is crucial - this is a practice we get better at over the longer term! And it is only by consistent practice, allowing ourselves to find the balance that works for us individually, that we get to a place where we mainly feel good about our food habits, and don't beat ourselves up and throw in the towel when we have moments where we slip up.