Everyday Systems

Hello fellow No-Sers!

I'm breaking out of lurk mode to do a daily check in for 21 days.

I think being that this is my first post I'll give a little introduction and stats.

Having recently lost about 25 lbs on the weight watchers core plan, I've got a little lax and have been struggling with the last 5 to 7 pounds.

Even though I have sucessfully lost weight before, I've NEVER been sucessful and keeping it off / maintaining. It's a slippery-slope, because
I am capable of undoing 11 months of weight loss in 3 weeks in a frenzy of out of control eating. I've done it before.

I work 9 to 5 as a web designer and graphic artist in downtown nyc. Working a day job -- as much as it's not my dream job by any means -- I generally like it, and it does give me a nice "structure" from Monday to Friday.

So all that said, I should mention that even though I don't have too much more weight to lose, I struggle with binge-eating. Not bulimia, not anorexia, none of that sort of thing. I just LOVE EATING. And once the flood gates open -- once I get a taste of dessert, a taste of ice cream or frozen treat, a taste of cheese or any other *trigger* food, I just can't stop.

My main goal is to have *integrity* around my eating habits.
That means no repeat round trips from the couch to the freezer for chocolate. No cereal out of the box.

I'm definitley a walking contradition when it comes to food. In general I've learned the benefits of eating wholesome, unprocessed foods. I've been really inspired by weight watchers core -- which provide really great "intellegent diatary defaults", michael pollen's "in defense of food" and tosca reno, who has a couple books out on "clean eating" .
I'm pretty happy eating vegan food, (though I am an omnivore). I really like healthy food.

On the OTHER hand, I have a real lust for food, eating out, watching food network, pizza, home baked goods, even watching the devil herself -- paula deen (who has no objections to using the maximum amount of butter and fat in very recipe).

My goal is to be able to enjoy those things as without abusing them. To be able to eat the finer things in life without watching my wasit line creep up.

I defintiley have that "all or nothing" mentality which I need to shake.
But I love the concept of No-S.

Oh, and I've also adopted doing a 14 minute shovel-glove in the morning.
So I'll post that here as well.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Here's to what I hope will be a successful run of building new habits!

-- laptop-girl.

post script -- timing is critical on this -- on day 22 I go on vacation to west coast for 5 days.

Laptop girl,

WELCOME,

I could relate to quite a bit of your post ...

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:32 pm Post subject: laptop girl's daily check in!

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Hello fellow No-Sers!

I'm breaking out of lurk mode to do a daily check in for 21 days.

I think being that this is my first post I'll give a little introduction and stats.

Having recently lost about 25 lbs on the weight watchers core plan, I've got a little lax and have been struggling with the last 5 to 7 pounds.

Even though I have sucessfully lost weight before, I've NEVER been sucessful and keeping it off / maintaining. It's a slippery-slope, because
I am capable of undoing 11 months of weight loss in 3 weeks in a frenzy of out of control eating. I've done it before.

I have done this several times ... but ususally take 6 months to lose and 2 to 3 months to gain back. It is frustrating. What I am finding is that the weight loss is slower but more permanent on No S, even with a few somewhat idiot S days, my weight does not come back ... COOL!

So all that said, I should mention that even though I don't have too much more weight to lose, I struggle with binge-eating. Not bulimia, not anorexia, none of that sort of thing. I just LOVE EATING. And once the flood gates open -- once I get a taste of dessert, a taste of ice cream or frozen treat, a taste of cheese or any other *trigger* food, I just can't stop.

laptop girl,
this is my issue as well. Binge eating not bulimia, anorexia, I think NO S works especially well for this ... IMHO

and finally

My main goal is to have *integrity* around my eating habits.

great way to put it and I think No S will definitely do this ... am doing about 3 1/2 months and find it fascinating as NO S clears out my psychological residue of "food issues"

glad you are here,
Blueskighs

I really appreciate your support and words of encouragment!
I have been reading and enjoying your posts for a while now, you seem like you've come a really long way and you've been doing good things for yourself!

Thanks again!

laptopgirl,

thank YOU for your support and encouragement!

the first response showed up kind of weird because I think my computer timed out. I was interrupted during post ... ANYWAY ...

glad you are here!

Blueskighs

BrightAngel wrote:I am watching and wishing you success.

I have been reading your posts over time, and you are a real inspiration!

Not *perfect* but I am marking this day a SUCCESS.

Here is my standard "N" day routine:

-- Wake up a few minutes before 6.
(I have a great software program that wakes me up to my favorite online radio station)
-- Shovelglove moves for 14 minutes
-- Pack lunch and get ready for the day
-- Morning breakfast ritual: a very well balanced plate that I really enjoy.
It looks like this:
-- -- 2 egg white omlette
-- -- 1/2 grapefruit (cut up)
-- -- 1 cup fage 0% greek yogurt
-- -- sprinkled with .8 ounces of fiber one (twig cereal)
-- -- coffee
-- -- Ride my bicycle to train station

Work (the busier I am, the happier and faster my day goes by)

-- Break at noon
-- Take my home pre-packed lunch to the park and read for about 40 minutes
-- Lunch plate typically looks like this
-- -- baby carrots and grape tomatoes
-- -- slab of firm tofu (yes, it sounds strange but I actually enjoy raw tofu)
-- -- pieces of protein (chicken breast) sometimes it's tuna or turkey
-- -- cooked yam cut up
-- -- cut up nectarine and plum

Back to work until 5ish

I typically pick up ingredients for dinner every other day
Last night it was a plate of
-- 1/2 pound of scallops with steamed broccoli, carrots and onions over whole wheat angel hair with organic pasta sauce (made spicy)
-- green salad with dill yogurt dressing

I did happen to over do it on the pasta and oil last night, which I regret but what is done is done. I consider that very minor.

So that is typically how my food looks. I know it might look a little boring to some...but the fact is when I don't constantly graze all day, I actually get hungry for my meals and appreciate really simple foods.

I have been pretty strict about going to bed no later than 11pm.
And getting up at 6am really helps me get right to sleep.

Again, boring I know -- and not for everyone.

This is someone who used to stay up till 1 or 2 am on their computer on a weeknight, going back for snack after snack -- perhaps eating for an hour or two while surfing.
Waking up sluggish and full the next day -- not hungry for breakfast. So breakfast would be skipped in favor of a large latte at starbucks (a waste of $4 - $5 if you ask me) and then that "hungover" feeling would lead me to eat something heavy at lunch to feel better. Since I never let myself get hungry I would need to eat something rich for it to be appealing to me -- like a turkey sandwich with brie and potato chips with a soda.
Which I would need to follow up with something sugary.

So this is why I'm not too hard on myself as long as I keep up the *distinct* well balanced meals, I'm not going to beat myself up over extra olive oil and whole wheat pasta.

More soon!

-- laptop girl.

BrightAngel wrote:
I love 0% Fage Greek Yogurt and I also love Fiber One cereal.
Those are two staples in my own food plan.

It is the BEST yogurt. And fiber one is really a good way to bulk up and make things filling! More over, I ENJOY it.

Thursday SUCCESS

A decent day. Simple, routine -- was incredibly busy with work.

Had my ususal staple meals for breakfast and lunch.

Dinner was a grilled gourment hot dog served chicago style (with pickles, cucumbers, tomatos, jalepenos, onions and mustard) bun and all (sometimes I deprive myself of hot dog and hamburger buns) with a side of oil and vinegar cole slaw and cucumber salad.

Today should be fairy routine as well.

I'm commiting that this time next week I have done everything in my power to do good things for myself. Eat without deprivation, but stick with the plan.

Friday SUCCESS

Defaults for Breakfast and Lunch

Dinner was my default Mexican;
2 chicken fajita tacos and black beans

Chewing sugarless gum after a meal really helps (especially a spicy one)

Have been trying to focus on other things besides food...

Have been trying to focus on other things besides food...

laptop girl,
this is hugely helpful thing to do!

Blueskighs

SUCCESS
Saturday

sweet/snack= small sized sorbet, and didn't even finish it which is miraculous...

seconds= yes, more like thirds I have to admit. 3 helpings (though the third was small) of brown rice and thai chicken at dinner

sweet/snack= followed dinner with 2 bullseyes candy http://www.oldtimecandy.com/caramel-creams.htm

Sunday SUCCESS

A rather large dinner was consumed, but I didn't eat between dinner and bed which was really rather triumphant.

Sunday nights are hard for me.

It combines the feeling of "restating" on Monday, therefore I deserve to over indulge. And a bit of mild depression at the idea of returning to work in the morning / weekend being over.

Today I put on the same pants that I wore last Monday, and they do feel a bit more comfortable / not as tight as last week.

No scale reports yet -- I'm worried about weighing in and being impatient / dissapointed so I'm counting days on habit, and clothing for now -- not the fluctuating scale. I will be able to do a longer term scale check in after a while...

Monday SUCCESS

I'm in a pretty good groove here.
I under ate a bit for lunch (not on purpose) but you know what?
I dealt with it. It wasn't the end of the world.
Staying busy helped.

I had a nice dinner -- tuna steak, roasted new potatoes, cucmber and tomato salad with fruit.

Not eating in between meaks really made it enjoyable because I was hungry for it.

So far I am feeling good. Can't get too cocky as I have a challenge coming up on Wednesday night, but I think planning ahead I can make it work.

SUCCESS

Not happy about my quanities at dinner -- but contrasted to what used to be an entire night of grazing, I am happy.

Have to admit, a little frustrated as is human nature I want instant results!

Have to admit, a little frustrated as is human nature I want instant results!

Laptop girl,

hang in there. I certainly find myself going up and down, sometimes excellent choices and volumes other times not so good, but OVERALL immense improvement, order and discipline that ripples out beautifully into all the other areas of my life,

Blueskighs

blueskighs wrote:

Have to admit, a little frustrated as is human nature I want instant results!

Laptop girl,

hang in there. I certainly find myself going up and down, sometimes excellent choices and volumes other times not so good, but OVERALL immense improvement, order and discipline that ripples out beautifully into all the other areas of my life,

Blueskighs

That is a beautiful thing! It's true -- simplifying eating does influence other things in life! Your support is tremendously helpful.

Wednesday SUCCESS

It's amazing how when you eat distinct meals you are more in touch with how they make you feel. For some reason I seem to be especially sensitive to sodium right now.

Just an observation -- I might go easy on the salt / sodium today to feel less bloated...

SUCCESS Thursday

This was a really good day for me in terms of health.

I had remarked in an earlier post that I was feeling a little bloated, so -- without getting overly crazy about -- I decided to do a "detox" for 24 hours.

That doesn't mean no food -- I ate 3 square meals, including one at a mexican place with co-workers.

But for one day I wanted to try and cut out --
-- gum
-- diet soda
-- and kind of diet drink with artificial sweetners
-- diet hot chocolate etc.
-- Splenda, NutraSweet et. all
-- alcohol
-- caffeine

plus I drank herbal tea that (sorry for TMI) sort of helped with the "plumbing" if you know what I mean.

I also drank tons of water. And I feel great.

Long term I am OK with caffeine and alcohol, as those are pretty pleasurable, but I'm struggling with trying to give up artificial sweeteners.
It's a good long term goal....

laptop girl -

cool detox glad it made you feel better!

Blueskighs

Good news -- it did more than that.

I got on the scale today for the first time since 7/3 and I am down 3.4 lbs!

Now I realize some of that is water weight that I have lost.

But darn it -- if we can get bummed over gaining due to water weight, we can sure as heck be psyched about losing to water weight.

I am staying really hydrated.

I'm going to have a smidge of caffeine this afternoon to prevent a coffee-withdrawal headache.

Now I'm not trying to put all this emphasis on the scale -- I know that's a recipe for disaster -- but I'm definitely progressing in mind set / habits, because usually after a "good" weigh in, I feel like I can eat something and "get away with it", but I'm feeling like I just want to keep going.

Friday SUCCESS

Saturday SUCCESS

Dinner=A little too indulgent -- I definitely feel like I should be eating less for my body weight. I can't fit as much as I used to in and I have to remind myself of that.

Sunday SUCCESS
Gotta watch the Sunday Food fest -- too much excess have to learn from this weekend's S days.

Monday SUCCESS

FAILURE

I had dessert at dinner -- it was a birthday dinner for a friend.
red bean crepe.

However, this failure was a positive one. Usually when I have one of those tiny restaurant desserts the first thing I want to do is go out and eat MORE sugar. But I didn't do that.

Wednesday SUCCESS

Thursday SUCCESS

Friday SUCCESS

Saturday SUCCESS

Sunday SUCCESS

during this 21 day stint I had a complete breakthrough on my weight loss plateau.

that's fantastic laptop-girl! Congrats.

Melissa

Monday SUCCESS

FAILURE!
But I guess I planned it that way because it's the start of my vacation.

Shooting for 21 days again starting tomorrow.

The past week + 1 day was a disaster food wise. I just took off completely from any rules and regulations. I will say it involved extreme consumption, no exaggeration. I just fell off the wagon HARD. At least if I reel it in after 8 days (and not 8 months) I can get it under control.

So firing up the habitcal and getting back on track for the rest of the summer.