Starla Starts

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:26 pm

No S is still going very well. This week I'm having spaghetti with meat sauce, and stir-fried broccoli and peppers for supper. It's excellent.

But I have not exercised in over two weeks. I can come up with excuse after excuse - I'm busy, I'm still a little congested, I didn't sleep well last night...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I read through this thread and I KNOW exercise helps me lose weight and helps me feel better, and I absolutely cannot understand why this has become such a problem for me.

frugaltexan · Post by **frugaltexan** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:20 pm

Starla,

What if you try to get back into it by saying "today I'll do *something* where I move for ten minutes." Then everyday you do that - anything - you count that as a success. Eventually it'll become a habit again, and you can add to it.

Dandelion · Post by **Dandelion** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 6:16 pm

I know your exercise makes you feel better so I hope you find your way back to it. Maybe with the days getting longer and spring lurking it will help you with your motivation.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:31 pm

Today is my 6-month anniversary of No S. I lost 7.2 pounds this past month, for a total of 42.4 pounds. I had to buy some new clothes yesterday, and I shopped in the regular sizes. For the first time in seven years, my weight begins with the number 1. I had no red days. That's the good news.

The bad news is that I have not exercised in four weeks or so. I don't know what it's going to take to get me back on that treadmill.

I'm leaving this week for a short vacation in Phoenix, and I've decided to make the whole thing S days. I don't really have a problem with S days, and to me this is the easiest way to have a vacation that's not about food. I thought I'd post my S days for a while as a way of tracking how this decision works out.

Yesterday -
7:30 - about 7 ounces of chocolate-covered almonds.
12:00 - large bowl of Kix cereal with a banana and a cup of skim milk.
6:00 - large bowl of beef/barley/vegetable soup with two pieces of toasted and buttered sesame semolina bread.

sophiasapientia · Post by **sophiasapientia** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:48 pm

Happy anniversary, Starla! And congratulations on your 42 pound loss ... That's awesome!!!

marygrace · Post by **marygrace** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 2:37 pm

Congrats on your weight loss, Starla!

I know what you mean about not knowing what it'll take to motivate you to start exercising. Perhaps it's the fact that you're already seeing great success with your weight loss; most people (myself included, and it seems to definitely be a sentiment of NoS) end up being happy with "good enough" rather than "perfect". Though there's always the issue of health---and it's definitely true that moderate exercise plays an important roll in longevity, the prevention of a number of diseases, and well-being in general.

Maybe the treadmill isn't the right kind of exercise for you? Whenever I've tried to use one, I found it very boring and would end up hopping off after 15 minutes. Could you walk outside? Enroll in an exercise class? Join a recreational sports team? I think the key to motivating yourself to exercise is finding something you really enjoy (and even look forward to!). I used to run anywhere from 3-8 miles per day, and more often than not, I dreaded it. Eventually, I stopped forcing myself to do something I hated and found things I enjoyed, like taking long walks outside, riding my bicycle, and taking semi-vigorous yoga classes. It's done wonders for my attitude toward exercising.

One more thing: I envy your ability to take all S days on your vacation and eat moderately. The last time I tried that, I ended up feeling truly gross and bloated.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:29 pm

Thanks, sophiasapienta and marygrace! Marygrace, I have been very successful doing treadmill in the past. As much as I complain about it, I still did it 4-5 days a week. Then I got a bad cold, got out of the habit, and absolutely cannot get back on. It's still too cold to walk outside consistently here, but you're right - eventually it will be MUCH nicer to walk outside!

Sunday's S day went as follows:

9:00 - large bowl of Kix cereal with a banana and one cup of skim milk.
1:30 - large lemon bar from a bakery near me.
4:30 - small bowl of fresh pineapple.
5:45 - hamburger on a small bun, roast potatoes and stir-fried broccoli.

marygrace said:

One more thing: I envy your ability to take all S days on your vacation and eat moderately. The last time I tried that, I ended up feeling truly gross and bloated.

Oh, we'll see if I have that ability or not! This is the first time I'm trying it. It will be interesting to me to see how vacation S days compare to my regular S days.

rose · Post by **rose** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:16 pm

Regarding restarting to exercise:

I found I was often unable to restart because my previous exercise level/duration seemed intimidating/exhausting.

So now when I don't feel like exercising, I tell myself I will exercise only 5minutes and then I can stop whenever I want. Often, the 5 minutes make me feel good enough that I want to keep at it for a little longer.

A mistake I used to make then was thinking, "I feel good so now I have to do a full workout". And then the next time I would be afraid to exercise for even the 5 minutes for fear that I would then have to do the full workout

So on those days when exercising feels really too hard, I set the minimum at 5'. If I afterwards I feel like doing more, fine, but I make sure to give myself permission to quit whenever I want. Often I end up doing a full workout, sometimes I quit in the middle of the workout, it doesn't matter much. Keeping the habit is what matters.

As a preventative measure, varying the exercises and alternating hard/easy days help reduce the number of days I have to resort to that "5' and then quit whenever I want" trick.

I hope this helps

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:25 pm

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU - EVERYONE!

I read through this thread and it hit me that posters were putting more effort into encouraging me than I was into getting out of this funk. So I took Rose's suggestion, only one step back. I told myself all I had to do was get dressed to go on the treadmill - tie up my hair and put on some sweats and tennis shoes. It worked! I just walked for 33 minutes and feel great.

So tomorrow - all I have to do is get dressed to walk, and I'm counting it as a success.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 1:22 pm

I'm back from vacation, and it's time to evaluate my decision to make the trip all S days. I think it went pretty well. I ate too much, but not catastrophically. I've learned on No-S that I'm much better off if I stick to things I really enjoy, and that belief was reinforced. It was good to just enjoy the trip and not worry about what I was eating. I'm sure I gained a little weight, but I'm equally sure that weight will come back off quickly. Overall, I'm pleased.

Grammy G · Post by **Grammy G** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:05 am

Starla!!! I am soooo happy for you! I too just hit a 6 month "anniversary" ! I've lost about one pound a month..after a quick loss in the beginning..and I will say I am happy with the loss and the way I'm losing it. I'm sure you are too! YOU are doing great!!
I will say I feel "content" with this noS plan. I think I have made peace with food (most of the time anyhow) and it is not the focus of my life.
I too just had an spell of bad days and had a hard time recovering control..but I did ..and you did too. so we CAN do this. Whhooo -Hoooo for us!!
I know you will have continued success. It will be interesting to see what we have accomplished at the end of a year!

I predict we will continue to do well and we will both be healthier and more fit by the year's end!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:29 pm

No S is still going great. My decision to take all S days during vacation worked. I came home on a Tuesday; by Saturday I was back to my pre-vacation weight. A week later, I'm down two more pounds.

I had a bad S day yesterday and ended up eating jelly beans for supper. I don't even like jelly beans, but had them around for some Easter baskets I'm making up. All the Easter stuff is going back in the trunk of my car this morning.

Exercise is still problematic. Part of it is that I'm just so busy right now. I do a lot of income tax preparation as part of my job, so work is frantic, and so are some other areas of my life. I've decided to stop worrying about the exercise and try to restart after April 15th. We'll see.

Grammy G · Post by **Grammy G** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:52 pm

Starla, be careful about what candy you put in your trunk (car and person!!). I once put the Easter baskets in the trunk for a day long stay..and the chocolate melted all over the "grass"..what a mess!!

Plus, we had 4 very disappointed kids!! You are doing such a great job..an inspiration!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 8:44 pm

One shrimp.

That's what I failed for on Friday. I had breaded shrimp for supper and plated my meal. There were five shrimp left over, and after eating my meal I ate another shrimp. At first I told myself that shrimp could have fit on my plate, so it wasn't a failure. But then I realized all five shrimp could have fit on my plate. Does that mean I could have eaten them all? If seconds doesn't mean finishing a meal and going back for more, it has no meaning whatsoever. So I have my second failure in almost seven months of doing No S.

I almost think I needed this; I was getting a little complacent. But I really hate a failure on the second day of the month. I'll have to look at that red square for almost a full month.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:53 pm

Today is my 7-month anniversary of starting No S. I lost 4.2 pounds this past month, for a total of 46.6 pounds. I'm pretty happy with this past month's loss, especially considering that the month included a short vacation of five straight S days, Easter, and a family celebration. One thing it didn't include was much exercise; I hope to get back to that once tax season is over.

I had one failure this past month, my second red day since this started. It had more to do with being lax and complacent than anything else, so I hope I've nipped that in the bud.

No S is all good right now.

sophiasapientia · Post by **sophiasapientia** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:03 pm

Today is my 7-month anniversary of starting No S. I lost 4.2 pounds this past month, for a total of 46.6 pounds. I'm pretty happy with this past month's loss, especially considering that the month included a short vacation of five straight S days, Easter, and a family celebration.

Way to go Starla! Very inspirational!!!

ShannahR · Post by **ShannahR** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:22 pm

Congraulations Starla on your 7 month anniversary and your weight loss! I think losing weight despite a 5 day vacation this month is super impressive. You're definately an inspiration to me. I have a vacation coming up and I'm a little worried about it, have any tips?

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 1:12 pm

I'm getting sloppy. I have no more failures, but I can tell my plates are getting bigger, my S-days are getting wilder, and my meals are getting less nutritious. I think it's time for me to do more frequent check-ins for a while. I think tax season and a birthday gave me excuses, and with that over I hope I can get back in a groove.

Breakfast and lunch are still the same - bagel with peanut butter and an apple for breakfast, and a salad and an orange for lunch.

I'm planning a stir fry with rice and an egg roll for supper tonight.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Fri May 07, 2010 1:38 pm

Today is my 8-month anniversary of starting No S. I had no failures this past month, and I lost 0.2 pounds, for a total of 46.8 pounds. This is the happiest 0.2 pounds has ever made me! As I talked about on the main page, I hit a major plateau. I knew I was overreating (within the constraints of No S) from April 7 - April 18th. But I've been good since then, and I expected to see the scale fall back down. That didn't happen; instead, it seemed that every time I stepped on the scale I saw higher and higher numbers. I stopped weighing myself when it became too depressing, but I know I was up at least 3 pounds.

I had to decide just what I'm willing to do to lose weight. Decrease my food intake? I know I could do that temporarily, but I really think I'm eating moderately, and I don't think I could reduce it comfortably for the rest of my life. At least I have that "rest of my life" part down. As I've whined about endlessly on this thread, I was having a real problem with exercise, and the plateau made me jump back on the treadmill. I've changed things up a little - instead of trying to walk more and more minutes, I've decided that I'll do half an hour on work days and try to increase the intensity of the work through speed and incline. That seems to be working well for me. I also dug out my handweights and found a short circuit-training routine, and I'm going to try to do that on days when I can't fit treadmill in.

If I don't lose any weight this next month I may have to re-evaluate my eating. We'll see.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sun May 23, 2010 12:52 pm

As of today, Sunday, May 23, 2010, I have lost exactly 50 pounds on No S.

I feel like typing that two or three more times! Before I hit The Plateau, my usual pattern was to drop a few pounds, then gain one or two back and get back to the prior low over the next week or two. So I won't be surprised if I gain a little from here (especially since I'm having a dinner party tonight), but once I hit a new low I know I'll get back to it.

The Plateau! He is conquered!

I'm a happy No-Ser this morning, and plan to celebrate with an hour walk on a beautiful morning to the beach down the street.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sun May 30, 2010 1:52 pm

Exercise is going very well for me right now. I find the 30-minute, higher intensity on the treadmill workout is much more appealing, and it still feels like a good workout.

On nice weekend mornings I sometimes walk outside, and I did this morning. It's beautiful, but I forgot there's a marathon here today, and my house is the Mile 13 marker. Wanna feel like a fat ass? Walk alongside a marathon course! Actually, it's very inspirational to see all the ages, shapes and sizes of people who are running a marathon.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 1:19 pm

Today is my 9-month anniversary of No S. I lost 4.6 pounds last month, for a total of 51.4 pounds. I am so happy about this, especially with a weigh-in on a Monday morning after two S days. When I looked in the mirror this weekend, it hit me that I am getting my face back - there is now apparent bone structure that's been hidden for years.

My big challenge, as posted above, was working my way through a plateau. I did not change my eating, but I did do a MUCH better job of exercise. I added exercise to my Habit Cal. I don't know why that's so motivating for me, but I guess my inner third-grader likes getting those green squares. I'm taking advantage of the beautiful weather and walking outside on weekend mornings, and I'm also trying to add a little weight training. I am absolutely pathetic with the weights; I've been fitting them in about once a week, and I'd like to get that up to twice a week during this next month. I don't think I'll improve unless I do it more consistently.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:03 pm

Still smooth sailing here. I just finished a marzipan-filled croissant, my Sunday treat this week. It's glazed with toasted almonds on top, and absolutely delicious. I should do commercials for almond growers.

At this point I find No S to require absolutely no effort. I still have to consciously work at exercise; I don't think that will ever become habit. But I've found a system that is working very well. I can take up to two exempt days per week. On weekend mornings I take a walk outside. I have a particular, very enjoyable, route that takes about 50 minutes walking at a good pace. On weekdays where I come right home after work, I walk for 30 minutes on the treatmill - 10 minutes at 3.8 miles/hour, 10 minutes at 3.9 miles per hour and 10 minutes at 4.0 miles per hour. That's a good workout for me, especially in the summer. My clothes stick to me with sweat by the time I'm done.

On days where I don't come right home, I can do weight training. I found a circuit training routine with hand weights online. They recommend 3 circuits, increasing weights from 10 to 15 to 20 pounds with each circuit. At this point I can do ONE circuit with my 3-pound weights, which is pathetic, but when I started I couldn't even do that. As always, baby steps get me where I want to go.

Grammy G · Post by **Grammy G** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 12:37 am

Starla!!! i am so happy for you!! You and I "joined" at about the same time but you "got it' so much quicker! I've had my share of kicking and screaming and resisting the process.. which is so silly because I know it is the way I need to be dealing with food and exercise

You will continue to be an inspiration to me! Keep up the good work and keep the posts coming!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 1:26 pm

I had my worst S day in a long time yesterday. I ate:

6:15- Bowl of Kix cereal with skim milk and a banana.
8:30- Marzipan-filled croissant
12:30 - 5:00 - six half-pieces of chocolate loaf cake and about ten fried chicken wings.
6:30 - about a cup of mac and cheese.

The thing is, even as I was eating, I knew what my problem was. I am psychologically much happier when I have a plan, and I had a plan for the day - get up early, take a long walk, and then spend the day with friends at a parade and village festival near here. I got up early, and the sky was very dark, thunder rumbled in the distance, and it started to rain. No walk. About 8:30 I got a call from a friend - the parade was canceled, and those plans were off. It's pretty obvious how I filled my newly-free time.

This has happened to me before in different contexts - I really don't react well when a plan blows up, as plans sometimes do. I don't know how to approach this problem - since I know I like having a plan, should I make sure to have a backup plan? That seems like a lot of wasted mental effort. But I don't know how to learn to handle the disruption of a day.

Grammy G · Post by **Grammy G** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:47 pm

I can relate to this! In my case, it would be the disappointment of not having the fun day I had planned. IF I had planned to wash all the windows and it rained...mmm.. I don't think I would have the same reaction. I would probably smile and pull out a book to read.. or do some other chore.
This is such a hard one for me too... I am going to try to remember "IF HUNGER IS NOT THE PROBLEM, THEN FOOD IS NOT THE ANSWER".. but, in times of

taking over my thinking, this may not be easy to remember!.
A GIANT step is that you have identified the problem (and opened my eyes to it) and you now can seek the best way to silence the

who leads you to food as the solution. I am going to keep a look-out for solutions too!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:09 pm

Today is my 10-month anniversary of No S. I lost 2.2 pounds this past month, for a total of 53.6. The bad news is that this morning I was actually UP 2.5 pounds from earlier in the month, I think mostly the after-effects of a very celebratory weekend.

The good news is that exercise is going well. I'm sticking to the walk/treadmill/handweights cycle, and haven't had a failure on my HabitCal for over a month. I can now do two circuits of the hand weights - woo hoo! I'm still pathetic, but less than before!

ShannahR · Post by **ShannahR** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 3:30 pm

Hi Starla,
Thanks for your thoughts on my thread. It was funny to hear someone else refer to "my philosophy" it feels to me like that sane way of thinking is more "my aspiration!"

Congratulations on your 10 months of No Sing! I think your story is truly inspiring-you've conquered so much and gotten unbelieveably awesome results! I looked for your 10 month update on the testimonial thread but I didn't see it. Did I miss it or is it still a work in progress?

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sat Aug 07, 2010 12:19 pm

Today is my 11 month anniversary of No S. I lost 11.4 pounds this past month, for a total of 65 pounds.

11.4 pounds at this stage is bizarre to me, and I'm not sure what's going on. I know part of it is that my weight at my 10-month check-in was artifically high, but it does feel as if the weight is just falling off my body.

This past month has been extremely stressful. I live in a two-flat, which I love, and it was foreclosed on. I would like to buy it, but Freddie Mac is completely unresponsive. In fact, the federal government is willing to PAY me and the other tenant to move, but can't seem to find a way to take my money. My lease ends September 30th, so I have had to make other plans and am in the middle of a frantic house search. I put in an offer last night; we'll see. I have been very emotional over having to leave a home I love, and it seems as if every spare moment is taken up with house hunting. I've been missing a lot of exercise.

But No S has been perfect, and this is one of the few times in my adult life that I haven't responded to stress with binging.

frugaltexan · Post by **frugaltexan** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 12:20 am

Wow Starla! 65lbs in ten months is amazing!

I hope that your housing situation works out for the best, and soon!

Grammy G · Post by **Grammy G** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 3:32 am

How wonderful that you are not turning to food! You really are thinking about food in a very healthy way...which probably means you are not thinking about food!

Hope the housing situation resolves itself soon and you can move on (literally and figuratively). Yeah for you!!!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 1:53 pm

Thanks so much, Laura and Grammy!

I have an accepted offer on a house I love!

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 3:12 pm

Woo-hoo! Congratulations!!!

(I think one of the real benefits of No-S is that, as a side effect, we learn to focus on the REAL problem instead of stuffing down worry with food. So much more productive!)

Sounds as if you've navigated this difficult time well!

frugaltexan · Post by **frugaltexan** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 3:42 am

Fantastic! I hope the closing, etc., goes smoothly and quickly.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:52 pm

Today is my one-year anniversary of No S! I lost 0.2 pounds last month, for a total of 65.2 pounds. I'm OK with that small loss; last month's weight loss was excessive, and I expected this. I've also fallen behind in exercise, and am walking on weekends, but not much else. I'm very stressed out; my closing is Friday, and I'm moving on the 18th, but I've kept to the structure of No S. This reminds me of tax season - I don't feel as if I'm doing No S too well, but I'm not failing either. I did have one failure this month. I went out to dinner, plated my food, and continued to pick at the rest of the food on the platter during the two hours or so we sat around talking.

I hope to post a testimonial later today!

~reneew · Post by **~reneew** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 3:20 pm

Congratulations! Your progress is very impressive. You have inspired me to go back to vanilla for a new fresh start! You should cut and paste your whole story here. Thanks for being an inspiration! Keep up your great work!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 10:37 pm

I've just started checking in on your thread. Nice work! Perhaps you say it somewhere, but I'm curious what your starting weight was and your height. If that's being too nosey, I apologize! In any case, you have a lot to be proud of.

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:41 pm

Add my congratulations in too Starla! What victories you've accomplished in this past year. I am so inspired by your success that I've recommitted to living the NoS lifestyle that I know all too well is the only way of eating that works for me.
Thanks for posting and sharing your successes. Best wishes closing on your house and moving. Enjoy every minute of it!

Mimi

harpista · Post by **harpista** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 8:50 pm

Starla wrote: I don't know how to approach this problem - since I know I like having a plan, should I make sure to have a backup plan? That seems like a lot of wasted mental effort. But I don't know how to learn to handle the disruption of a day.

Have a plan for something you need or want to do, which isn't urgent, but can be subbed in when your day or half day goes wrong.

I am kinda like this too

Edited to add:

I just wanted to thank you again for your "yearly check-in".

Thank you thank you thank you! It was inspirational.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 1:15 pm

oolala53 wrote: Perhaps you say it somewhere, but I'm curious what your starting weight was and your height. If that's being too nosey, I apologize!

Not nosey at all. My starting weight was 241 and I am 5'3" tall.

Thanks everyone for your very kind comments!

Today is my 13-month anniversary of starting No S. I lost 1.6 pounds last month, for a total of 66.8 pounds. I am thrilled with this, as this past month has been very stressful and busy. I bought a house (stress!!!) and moved (stress!! busy!!). For a while there I was only technically following No S. I found it impossible to eat well during the two weeks devoted to packing/moving. I only started exercising again this past week. I'm SURE I gained weight (though I had the sense not to weigh myself and get even more stressed out). But I kept to the rules, so there was some control in the middle of chaos. I had one failure, the day before I moved. I had been painting at the new house and was on my way back to the old one to pack, and I desperately wanted an ice cream cone. I stopped at the ice cream shop, and indulged in a waffle cone. This was my fifth failure since starting No S, and the only one I don't regret.

I realized this month that No S had a huge effect on my life in an unexpected way. The house I bought is a small bungalow, and the only bathroom and the main bedroom are on the second floor. Before I lost the weight, I would never have considered this house; I wouldn't have wanted to be going up and down stairs all the time.

I love my little house; thanks No S!

ZippaDee · Post by **ZippaDee** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 3:44 pm

Starla...WOW!! This thread has been very inspirational to me! Thank you so much for sharing here! I've attempted No S a few times over the past few years. I think I am really ready this time! Day one was on Wednesday. Just wanted to pop in and thank you for the encouragement here and congratulate you on your success! WHOOO HOOOO! GO STARLA!!!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:01 pm

Thanks, ZippaDee! I know when I started I was inspired so much by other posters' success; I'm thrilled if I can help someone beginning this journey.

Unfortunately, I am here to report that I had my worst weekend since starting No S. I had a house-warming party, and I ate and ate and ate lemon bars, brownies, granola bars, chips and cheese dip, apples and carmel dip, and pretzels. I seemed to eat all day Saturday and got up and ate more on Sunday. By noon on Sunday I felt TERRIBLE! I want to write this down so I don't forget it. Did I even enjoy what I was eating? Not at all. How did I feel physically? Like I wanted to vomit. What was I able to accomplish yesterday? Nothing, because I layed around feeling like a sausage. I never want to do this to myself again.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 2:22 am

It happens!

tobiasmom · Post by **tobiasmom** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 1:50 pm

Just wanted to tell you that you are a HUGE encouragement to me on this No-S journey. I just read your one-year check-in. You've done wonderful!!!!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 5:38 pm

Thanks, tobiasmom! It really has been a journey - a wonderful journey - for the past year or so.

This past weekend was a little better, but still excessive. I ended up throwing out some bars I had left over from the housewarming party, and which I had stored in the freezer (after thawing them out and overindulging). I am a little surprised at how hard it was for me to resist them. I guess I have learned that the secret to my S days is remembering that I cannot eat what I do not have.

The good news is that I walked on the treadmill both days, and I plan to really get back in the HABIT of exercise. I am walking with a friend on Wednesday after work, and I hope to do my hand weight workout today. I have not done that in about two months, and I'm sure all my progress has been undone. But I know it really makes a difference in how I look and how strong I feel. I have to start somewhere, so, once again, it's back to baby steps.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:19 pm

Ick, another weekend where I overindulged past the point of enjoyment. I remembered last year I had a tough time with Halloween, so this year I put my Halloween candy in the basement, which helped, but eventually I did have to bring up the candy to give to trick-or-treaters, and I ate way too much. The sad thing is that I had bought myself two special treats, hoping that having the good stuff would make the candy unappealing. Didn't work; I ate it all.

So, I have to remember YOU CANNOT FAIL ON S DAYS! My N days were all good last week, and I exercised five days, so it's not all bad. It's just frustrating that I'm having these S day problems, when I really believed I was past that.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sun Nov 07, 2010 1:20 pm

Today is my 14 month anniversary of No S. Unfortunately, I gained a pound last month, bringing my total weight loss up to 65.8. I had friends over last night for pizza and ice cream, and I'm sure that didn't help, but I have to admit that I have been finding lots of excuses to eat more lately. I had no failures in the month, but it seemed as if every weekend there was some reason I was eating more - I had a housewarming party, there were leftovers from the party, it was Halloween, I had friends over, etc., etc., etc.

My N days have also been sliding. For example, last week I made beef stew for supper, and I had toasted asiago cheese bread with butter as a side. I've had this in the past too, but my bread consumption increased from one to two pieces per meal.

The holiday season is approaching, full of nothing BUT excuses, and I really need to get this straightened out before I've gained five pounds or ten pounds, which could so easily happen.

It's not all bad news; exercise has been going well, and I set up a regular walking date with one of my friends.

This may seem like a lot of fuss over a one pound gain, but I need to admit in writing that I AM NOT EATING AS WELL AS I KNOW HOW TO EAT AND I NEED TO CHANGE THIS.

There. Done.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:09 pm

Another month, another 1-pound gain, so my total weight loss is now 64.8 pounds. My S days have been excessive, and I am just not motivated to change. I don't know what's going on with me. I did SO WELL for a year, and now my attitude seems to be "Eh. Whatever." This is not a good mental outlook for holiday season.

BrightAngel · Post by **BrightAngel** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:28 pm

Starla wrote:I am just not motivated to change. I don't know what's going on with me.
I did SO WELL for a year, and now my attitude seems to be "Eh. Whatever."
This is not a good mental outlook for holiday season.

Starla,
We all get into that mindset sometimes.
Here's a thought that sometimes helps me:
"It's not about Motivation, It's about Commitment."
I look forward to watching your progress here.

funfuture · Post by **funfuture** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 5:34 am

Hang in there, Starla. Just recommit to the habits, as BrightAngel says. You have come soooo far. If you can cling on through this bit, I just know you will come out the other end. Don't let all this praise send you off track. You are doing great. Here that, accept it and allow yourself to be who you want to be.
cheers
Fun

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 2:02 pm

Thanks so much for the encouragement, BrightAngel and funfuture!

BrightAngel, I really needed to hear that; you're making me ask myself what I'm really committed to. I might not like the answer I come up with, but that question needed to be asked. I know what commitment means, and I know it doesn't depend on motivation, or actions that are driven by the right emotions or circumstances. I begin my Christmas baking tomorrow, and I need to face that with an attitude of commitment to taking care of myself.

Don't worry, funfuture, I have no intention of abandoning ship now! I am a firm believer that No S is for the rest of my life, and I know this funk I'm in is temporary.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 9:49 pm

Starla,

We all hit periods where it's harder to stick to our commitment. Some thoughts...

Big message: Be gentle with yourself!!

- First, recognize accomplishments. What was your prior pattern during holidays? Are you doing better than in the past? Sometimes, holding steady - or gaining only a little - is progress.

- Second, check your rules. Are you layering on too much? Go back to basics, and hold to those firmly.

- Third, look for ways to treat yourself within the rules. What N-day-compliant foods do you LOVE? Plan meals that include them. Fresh berries out of season, expensive seafood - whatever is a perfectly reasonable-but-slightly-extravagent indulgence.

- Fourth, look for non-food treats. We have more senses than taste, so appeal to your sense of smell, of sight, of touch, of hearing... play holiday music and light a scented candle, or go for a late-night walk or ride to enjoy the lights... whatever appeals to you.

Hang in there!

-

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 1:49 pm

Today is my 16-month anniversary of starting No-S. I lost 3.4 pounds last month, for a total weight loss of 68.2 pounds. I am really happy about this, for several reasons: 1) I stopped the upward trend of the past couple months; 2) I lost weight during a month that included excessive eating during both Christmas and New Years; and 3) This weight loss was not due to exercise, since I haven't been doing much, so there is obvious room for improvement.

In another thread I picked the word "commit" as my word for the year, and I have decided to make an exercise commitment, the same way I've made a No S commitment.

I COMMIT to exercise at least 5 days per week. Snow shoveling, lawn mowing and yard work will count as exercise.

And thanks for the encouragement on this thread when I needed it most!

ZippaDee · Post by **ZippaDee** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 1:16 am

Congratulations on the weight loss this month Starla!!

Awesome! You are a great inspiration!

BrightAngel · Post by **BrightAngel** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 2:20 pm

Starla wrote:Today is my 16-month anniversary of starting No-S.
I lost 3.4 pounds last month, for a total weight loss of 68.2 pounds.

Congratulations Starla

Dandelion · Post by **Dandelion** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:36 am

Starla, it's great to come back to the board and find such good news from you. Congratulations on your success and more of the same in 2011!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 1:27 pm

I weighed myself this morning, and I have now lost 71 pounds. Woo hoo!!!! It took me almost five months to go from a weight loss of 65.2 pounds to 70 pounds (yesterday I was at 69.8 pounds lost). I am so happy! I really think my renewed focus on commitment has made the difference. I have had one exercise failure since I committed to exercise in writing. There were extenuating circumstances, but it was a failure. Most importantly, I realized that I had put myself in position to fail. That realization has made me pay more attention to setting myself up to succeed at exercise, which is still not habit.

Here's hoping for a reasonable weekend; of course I am eating chocolate-covered almonds as I write this.

BrightAngel · Post by **BrightAngel** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 1:50 pm

Starla wrote:I have now lost 71 pounds. Woo hoo!!!!

Way to Go, Starla !

glimmergrrl · Post by **glimmergrrl** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 1:54 pm

AWESOME

glimmer

Dandelion · Post by **Dandelion** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:59 pm

Congratulations!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 3:08 pm

Today is my 17-month anniversary of starting No S. I lost .8 pounds last month, for a total loss of 69 pounds. I consider today's weigh-in almost irrelevant, as it comes the morning after a wild Super Bowl Sunday (I'm in Wisconsin and am a huge Packer fan). I ate WAY too much and drank too much champagne, and I knew that the scale this morning would not look good. Nevertheless, my only regret is that I did not take the day off from work today. I had a great time, and I know this weight will come off quickly.

I had one exercise failure this month, which is a huge improvement for me. I have to admit that part of my exercise success has been due to Mother Nature, who is supplying plenty of snow for me to shovel.

tobiasmom · Post by **tobiasmom** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 2:06 pm

So I just wanted to tell you that you have me thinking about chocolate-covered almonds! ha. I never really eat those, but they sound so yummy. I read your posts a couple months ago and have been thinking about those darn almonds ever since! Is there a certain brand you get, or do you get them from the bulk bin? I'm gonna have some this weekend..............

You are so inspiring to me!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:09 pm

Today is my 18-month anniversary of No S. I hate it when my monthly weigh-ins occur on a Monday after an S-filled weekend!

I lost 3 pounds last month, for a total lost of 72 pound. I'm quite proud that I had no exercise failures last month; I think it will be even easier to exercise as the temperatures warm and I can walk outside. No S is completely routine now. I haven't had a red day since September 17th. I am taking a vacation next month to Charleston, and I've been thinking I may even get a swimming suit for that. A swimming suit! Me! Unbelievable.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:30 pm

Starla wrote:Today is my 18-month anniversary of No S. I hate it when my monthly weigh-ins occur on a Monday after an S-filled weekend!

Lol! I weigh more frequently, but count my "real" weight as being on the first Wednesday of the month. Not on a Monday right after an S-day, not on a Friday so that it's lower-than normal.

Sounds as if you are doing WONDERFULLY! Enjoy your trip to Charleston, and yes, by all means get that swimsuit!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:40 pm

Today is my 19-month anniversary of starting No S. I gained 1.2 pounds last month, bringing my total weight loss to 70.8 pounds. I'm not too upset by this. It's tax season crunch time and the most stressful time of year for me. The same thing happened last year - I have no eating failures, but my plates are bigger, my S days are wilder, and I have failed in my exercise commitment. I leave in a little over a week for a vacation, and I plan to make that all S days, so I don't think I'll be losing any weight any time soon. At least with No S even my excesses are limited, and I trust that I'll do better once I'm back from vacation.

KCCC, I DID get a swimming suit. It's not a pretty sight, but I've convinced myself no one's going to be looking at me anyway, and I am going to enjoy myself at the ocean.

funfuture · Post by **funfuture** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:52 pm

Wow, over 70lbs - that's so great. Enjoy that holiday - and the swimming - you deserve it.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:58 pm

You go girl! Swim and enjoy!

(If it helps... the odds are that, no matter how self-conscious you may feel, no one else will really think twice about your swimsuit. I remember talking to my sister after my son had publically misbehaved at our swimming pool, and I had over-reacted and lost my own temper in public, which I hate beyond measure... I said "it was a proud moment for our family, let me tell you." She responded "well, nobody else probably cared that much, really" and went on to kindly point out that we often think that people are looking at us or judging us when the reality is that they're caught up with their own lives, and we're just not that important to them. On the one hand, I was chagrined to have to be reminded that I'm not the center of the universe. On the other hand, it's immensely comforting at times to think that nobody really cares. Kind of liberating, really... )

Dandelion · Post by **Dandelion** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:59 pm

Just checking on you. How are things?

NoSRocks · Post by **NoSRocks** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 3:02 am

Hi Starla! Just popping in this evening to say many congratulations on your ongoing success on No S! I am sorry for not writing this sooner...however I have not been lurking on the boards as frequently as I was. I am still on No S but struggling a bit.... not losing weight either. Your motivation certainly inspires me to keep keeping on !!! Hope everything is well with you and yours!!

Very best wishes, Roxy x

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sat May 07, 2011 1:33 pm

Today is my 20-month anniversary of starting No S. It has been a rough month with lots of S days, including my birthday and a vacation. I gained 0.8 pounds this past month, leaving my total weight loss at 70 pounds.

I actually gained less weight than I had expected. I had 11 straight S days, and I've been struggling since I got back from vacation. I even had a failure, which is very rare for me. I've been eating a lot and exercising little. After a year and a half of finding No S very easy, it's suddenly hard for me.

On the plus side, I DID wear my swimming suit (and was told it looked adorable on me), swam in the ocean, and had a wonderful time.

tobiasmom · Post by **tobiasmom** » Sat May 07, 2011 2:20 pm

I'm at my 2-month anniversary! ha. I can't wait to be where you are. I assume we'll always have that fight inside....but you have the tools, and you know what you're doing!! 70 pounds is something to be EXTREMELY proud of!!!!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:00 pm

Oh, I was so tempted to skip this month, but I've let my accountability lapse, and I'm paying the price for that.

Today is my 21-month anniversary of No S. I gained 2.8 pounds last month, for a total weight loss of 67.2 pounds.

The trend is pretty clear here, and I can't pretend I didn't know exactly what was going on. Today is the first time I weighed myself in a month; I knew what I would see when I stepped on the scale. I had only one red day, but even one is unusual for me. I'm gaining weight because:

1) I am not exercising;
2) I am eating crap on weekends; and
3) I am sloppy about my meals on N days.

I've caught myself thinking about dieting - just for five pounds or so, so I could get back to where I was and then go back to No S. Sophiasapienta's testimonial helped me clear my mind of that insanity. I know what I need to do, and it is very simple.

I hope writing this down means I've stopped fooling myself. I need to make changes NOW.

sophiasapientia · Post by **sophiasapientia** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:18 pm

Hi Starla -- Believe me, I completely understand not wanting to check-in after getting off track.

But the reality is that none of us are perfect, we all slip-up from time to time and it is soooo much easier to readjust when the damage is relatively minor and we are self-aware of what is going on. We have both been at this long enough to know what works for us and we can make a decision to recommit to those habits. I have no doubt that we can do this!

Happy 21 month anniversary!

Grammy G · Post by **Grammy G** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:08 pm

I really do think we need a topic People Who Have Quit and Returned ..Please Sign In. I think over half the folks who post would be signing in! Don't we all think we should just "get it" and be perfect little No S-ers from the time we join? Ain't gonna happen..That is why these

little guys are available to us for posting, I think! If we were all perfect, we would need only

to tell our stories!

Well, that's one way to look at things anyway! We are gong to continue to pick each other up and cheer each other on.. You came back.. Yea for you!!

Dandelion · Post by **Dandelion** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:33 pm

Great post, Grammy

tobiasmom · Post by **tobiasmom** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 12:26 am

Hey, Starla! How's it going this month?

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 12:39 pm

Today is my 22-month anniversary of starting No S. I lost 2.4 pounds last month, for a total lost of 69.6. Unfortunately, my behaviors have not changed, so I think I've found the place where I'll stabilize with no exercise and pretty wild S days.

I haven't given up, and, just to be clear, I have NEVER stopped doing No S since I started. I don't even have many red days (two since the beginning of the year). But I WAS in a groove where I was exercising five days a week and enjoying one decadent treat each S day, and that's how I'd like to be living again. My life should be getting simpler on August 1st, and I'm hoping I'll be able to make some changes then.

Thanks so much, everyone, for the encouragement, especially when I have not really been participating much on the board.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 12:11 pm

Today is my 23-month anniversary of starting No S. I gained 2.6 pounds last month, for a total loss of 67 pounds. I have one more month before my two-year check-in, and I really want to show at least some weight loss this second year.

Again, I am still not exercising and eating too much on weekends. I know exactly what I have to change.

r.jean · Post by **r.jean** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 1:28 pm

The fact that you have maintained a 67 lb loss is inspiring. I am not sure what your goals are because I have not read your whole check-in, but regardless of the up and down progress you report right now, you are doing great overall.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:14 pm

Today is my two-year anniversary of No S. I reluctantly posted my two-year testimonial here: http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=7993

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:48 pm

Today is my 26-month anniversary of starting No S. I have completely fallen apart. My long-time boss, a man I regarded as my second father, died unexpectedly one month ago today. My aunt died the following week, and I have responded by abandoning No S. I have gained 9.6 pounds in the past month. 9.6 pounds! My eating is absolutely compulsive.

It's been almost interesting intellectually. I spoke at my boss's funeral, and the next week one of our clients called and talked to me about how strong I was and how well I was holding up, and I explained that not showing emotion was not necessarily a healthy way to handle things. Even as I shovel food in, I know how poorly I am dealing with things. I am a walking, talking bundle of cognitive dissonance.

I have to change things, or I'll be forced to buy new clothes in another week or two. I know what works for me, and that's No S. So it's back to the beginning for me. Back to Habitcal and daily check-ins, and weekly weigh-ins and even exercise. I have to get on my treadmill today; I don't care if it's for 5 minutes. I just have to start.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 6:28 pm

Day 1 was green!

B - bagel with peanut butter and an apple;
L - salad and an orange.
D - scalloped potatoes and andouille sausage with toasted Asiago cheese bread and mixed vegetables.

I also walked on the treadmill for 18 minutes, and it felt great. It would have been longer, but every music-playing device I own was low on batteries.

This is just a start, but I'm so happy to have started.

tobiasmom · Post by **tobiasmom** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 7:48 pm

Awesome!!!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 1:44 pm

Yesterday was another green day. Meals the same as Monday and 26 minutes on the treadmill.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:58 pm

Wednesday was green; meals the same as Monday and 30 minutes on the treadmill. 30 minutes is the maximum I want to spend on the treadmill; now I will work on increasing the speed.

There were 6 boxes of Girl Scout cookies on my desk this morning. I hope I have room in my freezer! These are meant for my college-age nephews, whom I'll see at Thanksgiving. I hope they make it.

tobiasmom · Post by **tobiasmom** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 12:53 pm

Sounds like you had a wonderful week! Have a great weekend. Will it involve some chocolate-covered almonds? ha!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 1:56 pm

Thanks for your encouragement, tobiasmom! My weekends always include chocolate-covered almonds!

Yesterday was green, and the Girl Scout cookies made it into the freezer. I really wanted some after supper, and what stopped me was knowing I would have to report it in my daily check-in. Obviously, I really needed to start checking in again. No exercise, so that was the first of my two exempt days for the week.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 7:01 pm

Friday was a green day, although I ate quite a bit at a fish fry Friday night. No exercise, so it was my second yellow for the week for that.

I've exercised both days this weekend, but eaten a LOT. Still, I had a green week on No S, and I did get in my 5 days of exercise for the week. I got up this morning, took a long, hot bath and put in a load of laundry and then remembered I had to exercise. I did a half hour on the treadmill, and was very happy with myself for not using the "But I already took a bath!" excuse. I have a lot going on after work next week, so exercise will be a little challenging. I don't want to go into the week already using excuses.

tobiasmom · Post by **tobiasmom** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 12:32 pm

Good morning! Thanks for the encouragement. You are right - we deserve a pat on the back for getting back in the saddle again! Looks like you had a great week!!

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:13 pm

Monday was green for No S and exercise.

B - Bagel with peanut butter and an apple;
L - Salad and an orange;
D - Pasta with tomatoes and sausage; toasted Asiago cheese bread with butter

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:31 pm

Tuesday was green for No S; yellow for exercise. I had a hair appointment after work and didn't get home until 7:00. I was way too hungry to exercise before eating.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 1:33 pm

Green for No S; yellow for exercise, and that really couldn't be helped. It does mean that I have to exercise every day through the weekend, though.

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 3:28 pm

"Bad" green day for No S - I ate a lot of pizza last night, but it would all fit on one plate.

Exercise failure.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:16 pm

I'm starting to watch your thread because I saw your second year testimonial. I'm just finishing two years and am only now getting tame on weekends and getting some regularity with exercise. However, I still regard No S as a success. I don't believe anything else would have brought me more success, given my circumstances. Not feeling the fear of overeating during the weekdays is so valuable. I just like it better to get hungry for my meals!