Everyday Systems

Hello, it's been 10 years since I did NO-S. I even went back to my old posts and realized that the last time I checked in, I had found out I was pregnant with my 4th boy, lived in Seattle, etc.
Since then, we moved to Nashville and then SLC. And I have a 5 year old GIRL, too. That boy is now 9. Wow, life passes by so quickly.

I came back to No S last night because my eating habits are all over the map and I realized when I was most "normal" with food was 10 years ago!

Right now, I have the habit of not even being hungry at alll during the day and saving all my calories for night. I literally eat maybe 2000 calories between 6-11pm. Yikes. It's probably not good for me.

I want to be more "normal" and moderate but when I wake up, I don't feel hunger and DO NOT want to eat. But have the habit of doing the same insanity every night.

I think I also keep doing this is because it "works" and when I say "works", I mean, I don't necessarily see huge health problems and I sorta maintain my weight. But I'm really quite messed up with sleep.

I do realize I'm about 5 pounds more than I was when I checked in 10 years ago, but I have also had 2 more kids.

I'm re-committing to do No-S because it really is the most SANE thing I can see out there. I've been all around the map with intuitive eating, intermittent fasting, etc. etc. And think I just need to simplify things.

I'm so glad these boards still exist!

Welcome back! I see we joined No S around the same time.

I used to do something similar to you and eat all my meals in the evening. I have discovered over the years that if I eat more in the day, Im less hungry at night and much less tempted to snack. I was never hungry in the morning either because I ate in the evening. Once I stopped that it took a while, but now I am reliably hungry in the morning for breakfast.

Good luck with your new beginning!

Welcome back, Liz!

Welcome back Liz. It sounds like you may have reset your body clock by some hours, which would explain why you have difficulty sleeping - your body clock thinks it is wake time, not sleep time when you are trying to sleep.

If this is the case, then eating more earlier in the day, unpleasant as that is when you aren't really hungry, will help you to not eat in the evenings. If it fits in with your schedule, lowering light levels and cutting back evening screen time may also help you to wind down and tell your body clock that it is sleep time. I have found this quite useful myself.

Thank you, all, for the welcome back. I love the community here.
Ladybird, I agree, it's almost like my body "wakes up" at night and then I cannot wind down--the food not helping.
I have been experimenting with eating earlier, even a little earlier and it's been helping.
Also, my kids started school this week and so we wake earlier and try to get to bed earlier--it's helping me change my eating schedule.
Happy to be here and grateful for you all!

Hi Liz, it’s been a hot minute hasn’t it!? I like to check in to the site here and there, and boy it’s nice to see names that are a blast from the past this always was and still is such a lovely, friendly and helpful community.

It sounds like you’re doing pretty good, just need to rearrange some habits. I’m in the same boat! I always think about posting regularly but my life similar to yours is sort of overrun by kids. I would love more peace with food.

Hope to see you around! Maybe I’ll resurrect my check in too.

Do you have slim sisters?

It's interesting that there are some timed eating "fasters" who choose to eat all their calories basically at night and yet they do okay, while some of the binge literature says people are more likely to binge at night if they don't eat earlier in the day. I know when I first started No S and stopped eating after regular dinner time, I was hungry in the mornings. But I've aged and there is NO pattern to hunger. I hardly ever feel it unless I go very long hours without eating, yet I know I am eating in about the right range for me, meaning I know that my lack of hunger is not from eating too much or too often. Often happens when you're over 60. My weight is a little below the midrange of "normal" BMI and fluctuates about 4 lbs. That is fine with me. I wrung my hands over the hunger issue for a few years, but now I'm resigned.

I'm sure you'll work your way back into a supportive eating structure.

In any case, glad you're back. Congrats on the family! SLC is such a pretty place.