Everyday Systems

201.4

B = 1/2 bagel with cream cheese, peach

L = one plate of food and watered down oj

Snacked =( 2 pieces of string cheese, coke, two bites of a candy bar

D = two tacos, drinks

no walk

201.2

I am maintaining. and it is getting old

I haven't stopped by in a while and just wanted to say hi and give you a little encouragement to keep going! This journey we are on is tough..... but it's going to be worth it in the end! I just know it! We are learning so much in the process. I, too, would love to just BE there already.... but unfortunately when we get "there" I'm sure the journey will still be a challenge. Man! I was trying to be encouraging! hahahaha!

199.4 I never want to see 200 again. Thank u for the kind words of encouragement. They really help

198.8

been having stomach problems and not eating, so can't claim nosdiet for this one

197.8

197.8

Well Done on breaking the 200!!!!

199.2

its like my body won't go down from the 190s. so frustrated

No words of wisdom here, just encouragement. Hang in there. Many of us have been exactly where you are at right now! Giving up is not an option.

well i'm still maintaining. 200.6 this morning. haven't been walking. I really need to get back on it

B = 2 laughing cow cheeses, a French baguette small, two large watermelon wedges, some hummus, watered down grape juice

204.8

B = doughnut, some crackers and one slice of American cheese

L = small bean and cheese frozen burrito and one frozen lunch

D = chips, some nuts

alc.
no walk

202.4

B = vege juice, 1 cup orange

L = tuna sandwich two slices of bread, 1/2 cup tuna salad, vege juice, tba

D = tba

going to try to walk today, even though California is still super hot
no alc.

201.8

B = 1/2 a large bbq chicken breast, potato salad, apple juice, 1/2 a canned peach, (oj at night)

L = tba

D = tba

200.8-201.8

B = egg mcmuffin no ham
hash brown, ketchup, orange juice 11oz.

Been thinking about ya!

Ok setting 3 simple goals for the next week. I have found that setting a few goals and sticking to them is easier than trying to change everything all at once. So I am tracking my progress for this week as it pertains to these goals.

1) stick to NoS
2) no after work drinks
3) start walking again

my weight has been maintaining for about a year and a half now give or take 7 pounds and I really need to start slowly going down again

Wednesday 12/3/14

B - 3/4 of a covered sandwich on white bread with salami and smoked gouda cheese, pineapple and blueberries, hot chocolate

L = homemade turkey, vegetable, rice soup, rest of the sandwich, more fruit

D = tba

goal for after work: walk 4 miles, rain or not

How are you doing with your three goals?

I am still struggling. I'm dealing with problems in other areas of life, which some how is taking my attention and motivation away. I have to get in gear. I know I do. thanks for asking

Thinking of ya! I know life is tough right now in other areas. Having this ONE sane thing in life just MIGHT help

i'm not doing anything weight wise - but have been maintaining. 198.6 this morning. wanting to start eating healthier and walking again. life has been crazy, but it always is - i can't wait for things to calm to get started on my eating and moving. more whole food and eating at home more often is my goal

seven years ago 268.5 pounds

today: 187 pounds

that is 80 pounds gone!!!!!!!!!!

have a ways to go still, but I had to celebrate just a little bit

Yay, joasia, good for you! Congratulations on your success. An 80# loss is really fantastic!
Feel free to post something on the testimonials board. I'd love to hear more about how it worked for you, and I'm sure it would encourage others, too!

Edited to say- Oh, OK, I see you over there on the General Discussions board!

Wow awesome--congratulations!! You are such an inspiration to me to keep going!

Great job and definitely take time to enjoy how far you've come!!

Linda

Boy, I sure dropped the ball with you. So sorry! However, you've been at it! I hope it feels easier at least some of the time.

I have not been strict with my nos at all. that is why it took years. there were years where I lost nothing. and now I have hit a plateau. it is getting frustrating. I'd like to break out of it

Thanks for posting - it's really inspiring to read about the long-view of No S

I was not expecting to lose yesterday. I started out eating well and then went down hill. but this morning 184.6! a new low!

B= one kiwi fruit and 5 prunes

L= frozen lean cuisine noodles and vegetables

D= drinks and a patty melt with fries and ketchup

I need to start walking again, I have been very sedentary

Congratulations on the new low!

The body has its reactions for sure to what we eat and do. It's just not predictable on a day to day basis, I've found. Doesn't matter, if habits are our real goal. But it's also nice to have the trend work downward. if we are feeling good.

10/20/15

183.5

And lower still.

179.9 I haven't seen that number in awhile

179.1

that is a total of 89 pounds gone. I can do this

Yes, you can - and you are!

Down 95 pounds!!! 173 this morning. Ate healthy : 1 cup raspberries 1 grapefruit 1 cup homemade vegetable and chicken stew a few macadamian nuts 1 hard boiled egg Didn't a lot because stomach shrank from stomach flu. Oh and green smoothie. Going to eat more today

Sorry you've not been well - but awesome to be down 95lbs! woo hoo!

Overrate today. Tomorrow is a new day

For the first time in ten years my blood pressure was low! Dr had to cut bp meds in half! Couldn't believe it

Awesome news all around.

That's great news, joasia!

Well I gained 10 pounds. 183.5 this morning. Still better than 268 but this is not the direction I want to be going. Holiday potlucks of delicious food are not helping. But if it is to be its up to me

This is a tough time of year to have to take stock. You've still done well to be where you are. Hope you can use knowing how much you've done right to get here to reinspire you to be moderate for the rest of the season. That is a great first step anyway. Be proud and keep going!

183.1

I will take it!!!!!!!!!! yesterday was a full moon, a bad case of pms, a bad case of holiday blues, hmmmmmmmm what other excuses can I come up with for emotionally eating like a crazed pig? So the fact that I'm up 3-4 pounds today, is a pleasant surprise. I thought the gain would be a lot worse. NO excuses. I'm on vacation, which gives me time to do my 4 mile walk in the morning. which I plan today. there is no reason to eat like crazy just because it is christmas. christmas does not have to mean stuff your face all day everyday from the 24th to the 1st (but let's face it, even longer with holiday work parties etc. etc.). I will enjoy the food in moderation. and will weigh in again in a few days. I want to see my low of 173 again.

on a positive note:
1)I had to buy new jeans and pants and some new clothes, because as a coworker pointed out, my old ones were sagging badly
2) able to easily fit into a skirt that I couldn't zip up for 3 plus years
3) almost able to wear that beautiful dress I bought a few years ago and want to fit into so badly
4) my blood pressure is down and doc cut meds in half
5) my thighs don't rub together and cause horrible painful rash (this is huge in the summer) which kept me from wearing shorts, skirts, and dresses
6) I fit into the smallest sizes at Lane Bryant 14-16 =)
7) I can see my private parts
It is easier to reach everywhere when showering
9) I'm starting to look in mirrors again and take pictures again
10) men notice me and pay me compliments, I am starting to feel attractive again

these and many other reasons keep me going. It has taken years, literally 6-8. I can do this. I will continue to fight for my health, my self esteem, and my mental well being. all things that obesity takes from us.

Joasia,

What an inspiring post! Your positivity is infectious and I truly believe you have already realized your goal with all of the things you are experiencing on your list. Since you've been at this for already 6-8 years, I firmly believe your habit is no longer that, it's a life style at this point.

Keep it going!!!

Thanks for the inspiration!

I have been yo yoing between 173.5 and 179.5. I have eaten a little more in the last few days and it shows on the scale right away. still struggling after all these years and I will keep going. yesterday I pigged out on not healthy food. so ..... today is back to it. packed my lunch and am going to try to walk after work. onward

Great to see you still trucking along. You are really down in weight! Little by little you are making it happen!!! Awesome job!

weird how weight works. today I expected a gain, because I ate way too much the other day. and I was actually down almost a pound. My goal for this week is not to weigh myself daily. I know it makes me crazy and yet I still do it

I never used to weigh myself. But after starting the No S diet, and also working through Friends with the Scale by Linda Spangle (recommended read if you have a negative relationship with the scale!) I weigh most mornings. It helps me to get used to the fluctuations - and I no longer jump up and down about a rise or fall in the scale. It's a fickle beast - and weighing daily helps me to see the general trends. It also makes me aware of how 'false' those weekly readings can be - because we can be down one day and up the next for no apparent reason!

Whatever you decide to do about weighing, keep going with the No S - slow and steady wins the race!

177.8 this morning. I have been eating way too much junk food.

B_ FIVE PRUNES AND PRETZELS AND CHEESE

L CORN DOG< SALAD< MILK<CANNED FRUIT

180l.2 ahhhhhhhhhhhh this is maddening. I know I haven't been eating healthy and the scale shows it. but today I am back at it! walk with my students on the track this morning. and I'm aiming for a walk after work and clean eating. I need to get back in the 170s and beyond. these plateaus are so frustrating.

179.2

trying to eat clean and aiming to walk after work:

2 hard boiled eggs
2 oz. whole grain bread
1 tsp. butter
5 prunes
1 large grapefruit
green vegetable juice:kale, spinach, cucumber, lime, parsley, romaine
coffee black
multi vitamin

dinner tba

good start 177.6

walking

eating clean

onward and upward

178.4. After 9 years I posted my pictures in the yearly check in. I'm still a work in progress. But I want to celebrate my success a bit.

LOVED seeing your photos. Was amazed to scroll through your thread and see what a challenge it's been.


Scrolling through your thread makes it clear that it's been quite a journey.

I loved at one point how you realized you had lost 40 or 45 lbs, even though day-by-day it didn't feel like you'd made progress. You showed that "two steps forward and one step back" is solid progress as long as you keep taking those two steps forward. Which is exactly what you keep doing.

You look terrific in the current photos. Both your figure and your inner glow.

plan for today:

walking!

menu
hard boiled egg
one slice toast with 1/2 tsp butter
coffee
vegetable juice
5 prunes
1 oz. nuts
1 banana
2 oz. avocado
1 grapefruit

Just wanted to say that I enjoy reading your story and truly enjoyed seeing the progress in your pictures. You look lovely and happy- Congratulations on all you've done. It's so inspiring. It's nice to see this does work if you keep at it!

181.1. It has been a very stressful week. And although I'm not proud of it , I've turned to overrating as a coping mechanism. And I haven't been walking. The scale shows it. I have to remind myself that I have to focus on not stressing, thinking with my head and not my heart, and taking care of my health

Over eating I meant to write

180.1

I have not been eating healthy or walking as much as I should. the goal for today is to walk and eat healthy. a group is walking mt. rubidoux after work, and my goal is to meet them there and o with them. onward and upward.

Nice to be down a pound. Even though your meals haven't been the healthiest, apparently you've had reasonable portions.

Best wishes for your walk later.

Congrats on 9 years and counting! Not to mention having maintained a decline in weight. AND very likely much improved nutrition. You are in such a good place to keep laying the foundation for your later years (a big concern for this 62-year-old). You are so lucky to have nipped the habits in the bud while you're still young. I'm so happy for you!

179.3 I am stuck in a plateau again, sigh

I seem to remember your being a bit miffed at other plateaus. But higher. So the trend is downward.

My fluctuation is similar. Every time I get lower for a bit, I rebound. I guess this is an easy weight for my body to maintain. Since I'm not willing to eat much less, much much different, and move much much more, I guess this is it!

you are right. I guess plateaus are just frustrating because you feel like they will never go away or you will never leave them. 179.8 this morning. I have not been walking or eating well. I don't know why I am slacking. Laziness really. but everyday is a new chance to do better. so I need to remind myself of that

179.5

My trouble time is in the evening. I do well during the day when I try, but then at night I want to eat everything in sight. today is a new day

175.8

come on 160s

B = about one cup spaghetti pie, green juice 16 oz. (kale, spinach, celery, etc. juice cold pressed)

L= a larger serving of spaghetti pie, 1 cup stewed cabbage, large kaiser roll with butter

I over did it with the spaghetti pie, a lot of cheese. but I have avoided sugary drinks, snacking, and candy/cupcake so.......... hoping the fatty entree won't destroy my progress today. going to try to walk and if I am hungry for dinner stick to fruit. I was 180 this morning due to a really bad eating day yesterday. fingers crossed.

What is spaghetti pie?

My downfall. Pasta, sauce, and lots of cheese. Cheese is my weakness

What's the pie part?

Cheese is considered one of the ten most "addictive" foods, so you are not alone. And as time goes on and possibly your motivations change, even that may become easier to be moderate with.

No matter what, I hope you enjoy every bite!

There was no pie part in the fact that there is no pastry if that's what you mean or crust. But you are correct. Cheese is addicting

I know this is going to be a life long struggle. but some days I get frustrated by it. I feel that I have come a long way, but I still have a long way to go. and I want to eat more than my body needs to lose. I just hate that this has to feel like a daily struggle.

185. I am struggling. this morning I bought a doughnut, thought better, and threw it away. I'm trying not to be discouraged

Joasia, I consider today to be a SUCCESS! Well done! Purchasing a doughnut is not a violation of No S.

In all seriousness, I'm sorry that things have been a struggle. Your victories are a big deal!

Standing ovation to you for throwing away that doughnut!

181.2

walked 6 miles yesterday

Hat's off for the 6-mile walk. Wow.

I don't know if it's a consolation, but I've never found anything as easy to get a thrill from as eating sweets. And the desire hasn't gone completely away. I know some people claim the desire has been lifted, but I wonder. Does it really go away, or are they just better at coping with it?

Thankfully, I'm not wracked with desire all the time. And I realize I enjoy a lot of my eating, so that balances things a bit.

Here's hoping something took your mind off this for awhile today at least.

And ditto for the 6-mile walk! Where did you got? Do you know the Santa Rosa plateau? I think that's the name.

oolala53 wrote:I don't know if it's a consolation, but I've never found anything as easy to get a thrill from as eating sweets. And the desire hasn't gone completely away. I know some people claim the desire has been lifted, but I wonder. Does it really go away, or are they just better at coping with it?

Thankfully, I'm not wracked with desire all the time. And I realize I enjoy a lot of my eating, so that balances things a bit.

I enjoy eating a sweet but I'm not wracked with desire at all.

Three years ago I did an elimination diet for 60 days. Not just no sweets, but no sweeteners at all. (Also no alcohol, no grains, no dairy.)

The first month was HARD. It was billed as a 30-day plan but since we could only reintroduce one food at a time, then had to go back off it while we introduced another food -- in effect, it was a 60-day plan.

That second 30 days made all the difference. As I said, the first month was hard. The second month wasn't.

And even though it's been three years since I did that, I still don't have the kind of cravings that I had prior to doing it.

I did the elimination diet (a Whole30, which was really a Whole60) with the support of a forum, and I picked a time of year when I didn't have any special occasions happening during that two-month period.

I continued mostly following no-sweets and no-grains even after I finished the diet, but on more of an 85/15 basis (85% eating clean, and 15% allowing sweets and grains).

I had no idea it would break me of cravings but it did. I've had a lot of S-Days Gone Wild weekends, and it's easy peasy for me to get right back on plan when the weekdays roll around.

I've been reluctant to mention the Whole30/60 because I can remember how drastic it seemed to me before I did it.

But I just want to give Joasia a hug and a "there, there" when I read what a struggle she's been having.

And I've been wanting to mention the Whole30/60 because I'm convinced that it changed something inside me, physically. Even if someone's not ready to do it now, it may be worth knowing that there's a way that this might all be easier one day.

One other thought is, that is surely not the ONLY way for this to become easier. There may be a nutritional change of some other kind that will flip a switch inside to make food easier.

I have not been walking consistently, but when I do I just walk around my neighborhood. I've measured the distance with the car, but I'm sure a pedometer would be more accurate. I'm not familiar with the trail, is it near Redlands?

I was misremembering where you were. The trail is nearer to Temecula.

179.8

I know why I am stuck. I have been snacking, drinking sugary drinks, overeating and not walking. so....even though I am frustrated, I am pretty sure I can only blame myself. I need to start walking daily again. and I need to clean up my eating, so that I can get out of this plateau. I would like to say, well my body just likes this number on the scale, but the reality is that I am not doing everything possible to move the scale downwards. It's going to rain today, but that is no reason not to walk. cell phone in a ziploc bag and after work I am going to walk

So honest! I'd say if you were having those failures and still maintaining, that is pretty good! Have a great walk in the blustery weather.

179 this morning. yesterday I didn't walk, too cold and rainy, but today it is on. eating was not great, but I stuck to three meals and although I had sugar, no soda or sugary drinks, so that is good.

B = one hard boiled egg, one slice toast with 1/2 tsp. butter, one tangerine

L = two fast food tacos with hot sauce, small quesadilla, 6 plus mini twix candies

D = homemade pork chop with carrots and onions and pepper jelly, one sweet potato with butter, two small slices of a baguette with butter and cheese, homemade ice cream

I think eating homemade is key. I have to stay away from the processed and the fast food. as well as the junk food and snacking. I packed my breakfast and lunch today for work, so i should be ok.

I ate a fair amount of fast food, mostly Mexican, over my years on No S. I read something recently about how people who ate it less than once a week (and a few other restrictions) had a 50% less chance of Alzheimer's with better results the longer they'd been doing it. That just hit home for me, though at 63, it may be kinda late! But I've had a relatively easy time keeping to that limit the past few weeks. Thankfully, I tend to have a lot of the foods I need to assemble most meals around. That's become a habit, too.

Great job on sticking to meals.

182.7

ok I am just struggling. Personal and work problems are triggering stress eating. I know it is my fault for giving in to them. but, nevertheless it is happening. I have to reach deep within and find some hope. a reason to keep going. a motivation self talk. it is in there somewhere

178.9

still struggling but trying

180

yesterday was not pretty. McDonalds, sugar, yeah not good. starting my morning off healthier

180.4 or point something

I am going to aim for a clean eating and walking weekend. I can do it. this is my goal

Hope it went well. Has it clouded over there? I actually like that for brisk walking.

I failed this morning, though not by a lot. It surprised me because things had been very easy for awhile. Hope it's not a rebound. (And sorry for dumping here; just trying to support.) I'm buckling down to a good snack-free stretch from lunch to dinner. I'll try to imagine you're doing it with me.

walked 6 miles yesterday, but still struggling with overeating/stress eating. extra stress seems to trigger binge eating in me. I guess I have a compulsive personality or way of dealing with issues. I have to remind myself that this is a life long battle

Keep at it. I am back to a downward trend after about a year of my weight going up. My weight looked like a Bull Market. Sweets are the demon child. And, sweets are generally our snacks.

Walking six miles is impressive, I wish I could do that.

MAYBE you have a compulsive personality, but honestly, I'd say it's useful to think so ONLY if it actually makes you more determined to overcome it. Thinking it COULD just be the strong habit trying to protect access to the "drugs!" Strong habits are neural patterns that can actually affect what we think. They makes us think things like, I deserve it, it's too hard to eat less or not eat this now, I'm stressed and I have to obey this urge to eat, it's intolerable to put up with this craving, etc. They are a mirage.

I hope it's okay I say all this! It really helped me when I got introduced to some of the ideas. Stress doesn't MAKE anyone eat. It makes them WANT to eat. I don't have to eat just because I want to. I can wait for a meal and limit myself. Not easy, but possible, with practice. WANTING to pee doesn't MAKE me pee. It just makes me know I should probably find a toilet, but I can usually wait, if circumstances dictate. OK,, that one isn't the best idea to delay, but delaying and limiting food intake is a VERY good idea for most of us.

You have already done so much! You can keep refining. I'm sure there are some things you do WAY less than you used to. Give yourself credit! You've hung in there WAY beyond where most people would give up. Don't give up that compulsivity! And it may not stay a battle.

Joasia,

I'm hanging back around here, and what do I see but you finally posted your amazing, honest, poignant testimonial! I love it!

I don't suppose you like biking? I have started biking to work instead of walking, and I enjoy three things in particular:
1) it makes me feel like a kid
2) it takes less time than walking!
3) it provides good variety (I do still love walking)

179/180

does life stress ever let up?

Probably not.