Everyday Systems

I started this on the 19th. I haven't messed up any days (even the ones around Thanksgiving!) yet. The first week was pretty easy: I was super-motivated and I had an extra S Day.

This week, however, has already been a bit of a struggle. I've got a tough school schedule this (and next) week and that leads to snacking. I've done good today, but it hasn't been easy. My husband also found out (thanks mom...) that I was on "a new diet," which he always worries about. So, now I feel like I have to prove it to him... but I think that will just be about time. He'll see if it works or not as I see if it works or not...

Jesslyn's Check-in: Days 1-7(through yesterday): Success!!

Nice to meet you all, I'm sure!

Welcome! Building the habit is hard, but that's how you make it easy. If you find yourself having a crazy day and are tempted to snack, think "if I can resist snacking on a crazy day like this, think how easy normal days are going to be in comparison." A crazy day is an opportunity for major habit building.

Hi Jesslyn

Welcome and great to hear about your success. I'm a newcomer to this too. I didn't want to make a big play out of the 'diet' thing either. I've only been going a week longer than you but I'd say this isn't so much a diet as a process to build mental strength & habits - the rest follows. I've not made a big song and dance about it with anyone - I just make choices and try to stay flexible so I can enjoy eating times with freinds and family.

I've been on a training course the last few days with cakes in break times and big old buffets to pick over - I'm enjoying the challenge of sticking to NoS because if I can make it through abnormal days like these then normal life is easy.

Good luck - we're excited to see how you do.

Gareth

Thanks for the replies guys.

reinhard - Today has been a crazy day, so it makes what you said even more useful for me. I haven't snacked today... so I'll use that as inspiration for the next 3 weeks. Thanks!

British Chap - Thanks for the encouragement. You're right about the idea that this isn't so much a diet as a process. I was thinking that earlier today. I'm eating now the way I'll always eat; I'm not learning one set of habits that will help me lose weight and then having to change those in the future. It feels good.

Yesterday (Day 8 ): Success!
I even went out to eat with some friends last night. We went to eat pasta, yum! It was my first real test (besides the holiday which wasn't that difficult). I drank water, though I thought about wine (and was glad that I could have had it); I ate a piece of bread and 4 bites of calamari before my food came to the table BUT I only ate half of what they served me so that I probably could have fit all that food on a normal sized plate.

I ate the other half of the spaghetti for lunch and it was (still) delicious. I love pasta! Say yes to carbs!

Today's been a hectic day and I wasn't sure that I'd have time to eat lunch. But I made time! Yeah, me!

Yesterday (Day 9): Failure

But it's okay...
Yesterday was not only a crazy day, but I wasn't feeling well and I had an important workout to attend. So... when it came down to whether or not I would workout, I decided I could have a banana as a snack to try and settle my stomach.

I felt much better after I had my banana and I mannaged to do very well at my workout! (I do martial arts and after last night's workout I was asked to test for my yellow belt!)

So, technically, it was a failure and for the sake of habit making, I'm counting it as thus, but for me personally it feels like a success. I mean, the whole idea of eating this way is to eat like you will always eat and I feel like this was a good choice. I could have snacked on something much worse than a banana and I feel that I really needed it. So yeah me!

Now... if I can just make it through today! (Yet another crazy hectic day...)

jesslyn

Yesterday (Day B1): Success!

I had some weird timing yesterday to contend with. I ate breakfast at 7a, lunch at 2p (I was SO hungry but that was my first chance to eat unless I wanted lunch at 10a), and dinner was at 8p AFTER a martial arts class. The timing between lunch and dinner was fine, but I wasn't sure about a hard workout about when I was getting hungry (6p). I didn't want to workout on an empty stomach (since I have some blood sugar issues), but it worked out fine.

Back on track! Yeah me!!

Jesslyn

Yesterday (B2): Success!

I'm really excited about this success because it was a difficult day yesterday. So I'm gonna brag...

I ate breakfast at 7:30a. I was in the library from 8:30ish till 12:30 working on a paper. I normally eat lunch right before class (noonish), so I was definitely hungry. AND, we had a special "social hour" in class with lots of snacks/sweets. When the plates went around, I took one then realized what I had done and gave my plate to another student. Whew!

Then, as the food was passed around, I didn't take anything, not a single bite. When they decided we needed to set the food somewhere since they were tired of passing it back and forth, my desk was selected b/c it was empty (no plate, remember?). So I had to sit there with all those yummies on my desk and I still didn't eat any. I wasn't even tempted!!

Anyway, after class, I probably should have gone home to eat but I had some errands. So I didn't get home to eat until after 3p; by the time I fixed food it was 3:30!!

I was starving so I fixed a little too much food. So even though it was a success I learned that if I am starving when it's time to order/make food, I shouldn't fix more than I normally would b/c it's too much.

I had a fairly small dinner around 8p since I wasn't particularly hungry (from having eaten lunch so late).

Yeah me!

Fantastic

I had a couple of similar days this week - so I'm cheering for you because this is real habit-forming stuff - keep focussing a day at a time.

Good luck

Gareth

Thanks Gareth!

Yesterday (B3): Success!

I had a little trouble with scheduling meals due to my martial arts class again (eat before when I'm not really hungry yet but may need the glucose boost or risk getting dizzy etc in class but eat later when I'm actually hungry...)

I ate before but just had a very small dinner (Chili and part of a Baked Potato from Wendy's b/c I had to eat fast food on my way to class).

The next two days (today and tomorrow) are S days, whew! I have a party each day, so I'm going to try not to overdo it. ('Don't be an idiot' is my S day mantra.)

jesslyn

Days B4 and B5: S Days
Day B6 (yesterday): Success!

Today's been tough already... but I'm making it. It was a really stressful morning and I wanted to snack because I was upset. But... I managed through and am feeling better altogether. If I had snacked then I would have felt crappy all day and continued to overeat and never felt better about the bad start to the day. So... it's a success already!

Yesterday (B7): Success!

I think the hardest part of eating this way is scheduling around my workouts. I guess it just takes some time to figure out the schedule that works the best for each of us, huh?

Yesterday (B8 ): Success!!

So... today I have a problem: We're going to happy hour with some friends tonight, with 2.75 margaritas. So, I have to decide; do I not drink the margaritas, do I have one and count it as a failure, or do I call this an S day and make this sunday a NoS day?

Or... maybe they have a good special on beer (which I normally don't drink, but think is okay for a NoS day? Hmm, I hadn't thought of that!

Well, wish me good luck on figuring this out.

Yesterday (B9): Success!!

I'm so happy with myself. Last night, at happy hour (which it turned out was a close friend's birthday as well, but didn't count it as an S day), I had a single beer and a smaller plate of food than normal at a Mexican restaurant. It was fun and delicious. And I felt so good about myself.

Today's been a good day as well, but it isn't over yet!

Jesslyn

Day B10 & 11: S Days

Yesterday, I did really well. I'm still getting used to not overdoing it on S Days, but yesterday I didn't have any trouble with that. I had some ice cream (about 1 scoop) for dessert and I had my allowed 2 glasses of wine but that was it. Yeah, me!

I also tested for my yellow belt in martial arts yesterday. It was the first time I had to break a board and I amazed myself by doing it! I'm so proud of myself this weekend!

Jesslyn

oh, AND my husband told me this morning that my stomach looks like it smaller!! Woohoo!!

You go, girl!!!! Fantastic

Thanks, Gareth!

While Saturday was a hugely successful day, Sunday was a bit more... shall we say... idiotic. I ate a large breakfast (of sweet rolls) and had a fairly large lunch (ribs, fries, small salad, and a bit of dessert). Thankfully I wasn't snacking. After lunch I thought I would just have a small dinner and be fine, but my hubbie and I went to our friends' house for dinner. (We switch of back and forth at whose house we eat and try to impress each other with our mad cooking skills.)

I managed to eat a small serving of risotto, a medium serving of the very healthy veg, and a small serving of the carrot soup, with a glass of wine. Not to shabby. But then dessert happened. I had a rasberry beer float. (Yes, like real brown ale, not like root beer. Yes, with ice cream. Don't knock it till you've tried it, ) So... I wasn't a total idiot but I felt like I could have done better if I had planned better.

Oh well, S days are for learning lessons and not feeling bad about yourself, so... on to 5 days of No S successes!!!

I just wanted to come in here and brag as a reward to myself for being so good tonight.

Not only did I have leftovers from my one plate at lunch, I have leftovers from when I finished dinner!

As full as I was after dinner, I was sorely wanting something sweet to finish it off. (Mostly because my hubby decided to have a Cherry Garcia ice cream and talk about how delicious it is... He didn't do it to torture me, and I'm sure that temptations like this make me stronger, but it was still tough.)

Anyway, I decided I would have a unsweetened sparkling water and call it good enough. It wasn't a dessert; it was just water, but I was satisfied enough to have something to put in my mouth. Yeah!

Good job resisting temptation, Jesslyn! I always want something sweet after dinner, too. What I've been doing is putting a handful of raisins on my plate and eating them last. It really feels like a bit like eating something sugary!

Zoolina

That's a good idea, zoolina. I don't like raisins but I could eat fruit last. Sweet!

Yesterday (B13): Success!

Yeah, you may notice that I missed a day of counting. It was last friday that is unaccounted for but that was a success too! Only 8 days to go till I'm in the 21 day club (if I don't mess up!!).

The fruit idea is a great one! Lately we've been incorporating pomegranates into our dinner since they're in season and we both love them. I find myself saving that little pile of lovely fruit for last as a treat. Sometimes you do have to virtually plate them, since gravy or tomato sauce on raisins and pomegranate isn't all that appealing, but it works.

I used to think that drinking water when a craving hit was ridiculous, but I've been doing it and it does help.

I think drinking water (especially ice water) helps a lot with cravings!

I tried the fruit idea out today. I finished dinner with a few blackberries. Yum!

(To continue our conversation about our hubbies/fiances and cooking, Dave came home today and cooked us a marvelous dinner of stuffed tilapia, crab cakes, a roll for me, and flambeed endive. The man actually flambeed on a Tuesday night...

This is what happens when I call him to tell him he's in charge of dinner. )

jesslyn

From now on, he's in charge of my dinner, too! If only it were possible. He sounds like a chef!

He wants to be a chef.

Yesterday (B14): Success!

It was tough yesterday, but I did it. I'll do it again today, even though these last few days before my paper deadline are really making it hard.

Jesslyn

What a string of successes. You are doing fantastic. Keep up the good work.

Thanks, pangelsue!

I get to report another success: B15 (yesterday): SUCCESS!

Today and tomorrow each hold one difficulty. I'm going to a party that my hubbie's work is throwing. I don't really know the details but it is supposed to be dinner (buffet probably). I should be okay as long as I keep it to one plate and don't do the snack the whole time I'm there thing.

Tomorrow my martial arts place is having a potluck. Not only am I making a pie (which I won't be allowed to eat) but I don't think anyone is bring real food that I would eat as dinner, so much as snacks and sweets. So I'm going to try eating dinner before I go and just telling people I'm not hungry. We'll see how it goes!

jesslyn

B16: Success!

So far today, I managed to make a DELICIOUS smelling pie without snacking on it. Yea! I'm sure I'll do well tonight to because I'm going to eat dinner before I go to the potluck and then I'll just (truthfully) say, "I'm full, but thanks for asking."

B17: Success!

Yeah me! Another success.

I've also done myself proud this morning. I had some of the leftover delicious chocolate pie for breakfast with strawberries and black coffee. I went back for seconds of the pie and only ate 3 bites before I put it back. It just wasn't as good as the first slice and I felt full. That is progress!

Hoorah! Although I have to say: I WANT THAT PIE! It sounds sooooo good.

I'm on N days now, though, and being good. So no pie. How'd the potluck go?

So...
B18 and 19: S days
B20 (Monday): Success!
B21 (yesterday): S day (I was sick!!)
Today, another sick day, but I'm positive that tomorrow I will manage a No S day.
I even went to the doctor yesterday and was prescribed lollipops!

Technically, I'm part of the 21 day club now, but I want to wait until I see how successful I am with getting back to No S days when I'm still a little sick. (Today I argued with myself about whether I really get a second S day, and I decided I do because I ice cream helps to numb the pain of eating (sore throat). I could hardly swallow at all, so I decided it would be okay for one more day, but that I still can't be an idiot. )

B22 (yesterday): S Day (sick)

Unfortunately, I'm not feeling any better today, but I am going to try to eat No S today anyway. I just feel so crappy about not eating well and not exercising, which doesn't help when you already feel sick. It's hard to get better when I'm not thinking positive.

Thankfully, my hubbie mentioned again yesterday that my tummy is getting smaller (yeah!) AND he helped me out of my ice cream conundrum. He reminded me that we have popsicles (well, otter pops) in the freezer which will also numb my throat with no fat and only 25 calories. So if I break down and have to have something other than ice, I can have this and be better off on my S day than if I was still sucking down ice cream like it was the last batch ever made.

Good luck to everyone else!

Hope you get to feeling better soon!

Thanks Jan.