Everyday Systems

Starting today, good so far.

Day 1 survived.

Cooking exciting new food that a) takes 3 times as long as it should because you've never done it before b) turns out not to be very nice is possibly a mistake.

Hey Mstevens! What's wrong with eating your normal food then? Why all this strange and new food?

Welcome to NoS, by the way.

C.

Hi!

I've been around here before back when this was a mailing list, but I always drift off.

I usually eat pretty badly, so I'm trying to combine no s with improving my diet - if I only get one plate it ought to be something nice. I thought I couldn't screw up mashed potatoes - I was wrong.

Hi mstevens,

I'm also new here, so I was interested to see someone else on roughly the same schedule as me.

Anyway, re. new food that takes three times as long etc.: for what it's worth, yeah, that's probably a mistake if you try to do it all the time -- except you're just starting out on something new and having fun with it. I don't think that's a bad thing, as long as it doesn't become an excuse for not sticking with this. I do exactly the same thing (and have done so this week, in fact; this morning I had salmon pate on toast for breakfast, which I've never done before -- who the heck has time to make salmon pate?!).

I guess the trick is, let yourself exult in the new hobby, but balance that against the pragmatism of also staying on the lookout for uber-efficient foods that are both better for you and easier to prepare than whatever you're trying to avoid -- a big challenge, given the ease of "preparing" a bag of cheetohs or whatever, but maybe one that'll help in the long run and give your "monkey mind" something to do in the short run.

Good luck, and I hope this helps.

--seth

It apparently only takes half an hour if you know what you're doing. If you screw up, it takes 90 minutes.

Oooooh!!!!!!!!!
Salmon pate!!!!!

Drool!

LOL..
Please give the recipe for this one!!!
Thanks in advance

If you make something that can last for five days in the fridge, whatever it may be (see Freakwitches post for chili and other delish ideas for home cooking... I think Betsy had mentioned some very nice lentil soup)
And then you make sure you have a decent amount of fresh fruit and veggies, plus some staples you need to have in the house, ie: potatoes, pasta, canned beans etc... you can avoid the "I want fritos" mode pretty well.. it's just crucial to have healthy things *you like to eat* in your home to offset the temptation towards caving in and eating that stuff as a quick fix substitute..

If someone had a bag of cheetos and a plate with fruit, salmon pate and a small salad or something nice like, home made soup or chili, I certainly would pick the real food, over the snacks...
So, we have to be the people who insure this by preparing ahead of time...

Normally, I make food which will have at least one to two days worth of leftovers... How hard is it to nuke some leftover pasta and meatsauce???

More economical too, than buying tv dinners etc...

Good luck guys!
Peace and Love,
Deb

I guess the trick is, let yourself exult in the new hobby, but balance that against the pragmatism of also staying on the lookout for uber-efficient foods that are both better for you and easier to prepare than whatever you're trying to avoid

Amen!!!!

I love your description here Seth!
Exult in your new hobby!
Love it!!!!
You are one positive dude.....

but maybe one that'll help in the long run and give your "monkey mind" something to do in the short run.

Monkey mind!!! LOL...
Do you practice Yoga?

Have a great day...
P&L,
Deb

Day 2: Success.

Plates piled fairly high, though.

Day 3: SUCCESS

Seem to be getting slightly more used to lack of snacks but it's still hard.

It's almost the weekend -- hang in there!

Day 4: SUCCESS.

Weekend should be easy...

Yay!!!
Have a nice one and enjoy the easy weekend!
Peace,
Deb

Day 5: SUCCESS (can't fail on a s day).

My tolerance for vast quantities of chocolate seems slightly lower.

Day 6: SUCCESS (can't fail on a weekend)

Free chocolate at work today

Practice repeating Reinhards tough love mantra

"You are pre disapproved"

and just walk away...

You know what chocolate tastes like already... don't let it ruin your day...

Good luck!
Peace and Love,
Deb

You can do it. In time, it gets very easy to walk away from food laying around or being given away.

You can do it!

Day 7: SUCCESS

Damn veggie burgers, I cooked for LONGER than the recommended time in a higher power microwave, and they're still cold.

I generally find it's more successful to reheat stuff if you nuke it for longer at lower power. The microwaves only penetrate about half an inch into the food anyway (spot the physicist! sorry!), so the rest of it is heated by conduction of heat through the food... Your veggeburgers must be poor heat conductors, so they need more time for the heat to seap through so that the middle gets warmed up.

You'd expect the people who make them to know how long to cook for, though.

I think it's pizza tonight. Will attempt omlette at the weekend when my new frying pan arrives. This diet is motivating me to try to improve my cooking.

(slowly working his way through a part-time physics degree).

Veggie Burgers taste better when you just make them in a frying pan...
It only takes about two minutes longer... Do you guys have a brand called "Morningstar Farms"? Very tasty products, but a tiny bit pricey..
PS.. Not all microwaves generate the same amount of power, and, I have a sneaking suspicion that they aren't too great for the food...

Congrats on making healthy and rewarding cooking, a new focus for your energies... It's a worthwhile use of your time, and home cooked meals are so much more economical and much less full of crummy preservatives..

Have a nice day!
Peace,
Deb

Not heard of Morningstar farms, I know there's some kind of veggie burger mix I can buy though.

I should have a go at curry.

The 'realeat' herb and vegetable style mix is pretty tasty, and not too hideously full of random additives either.

Have fun with your Physics degree. I have a Ph.D in Polymer Physics myself.

C.

Day 8: SUCCESS

Currently having problems with a) mid-afternoon cravings, and b) by the time I get to eat I'm starving, and I'm normally a faster eater, but I end up majorly rushing my food.

Dear Carolejo! You are probably asleep over there in Amsterdam (unless you have insomnia)

Polymer Physics eh???
Did you ever see the very adorable Alec Guinness movie "The Man in the White Suit"?

If not, you would probably get a kick out of it!

Hey MStevens...
As for afternoon snacks... it's not the end of the world if you have a small fruit or a yogurt... Just don't do it randomly... and then "virtual plate" it towards your dinner...
It's just the really random and unaccountable snacking that we are trying to target...

Good luck!

Peace and Love,
Deb

Day 9: SUCCESS

I *love* that film, Deb! I have it somewhere on an old VHS tape.

C.

Yeah, it's great isn't it?
LOL...

Love,
Deb

Day 10: SUCCESS

Day 11: SUCCESS

Weekend!

Eating too many S-es means you have no appetite for the big dinner you were planning to cook.

LOL!!!

Peace,
Deb

Day 12: SUCCESS

Thinking maybe I should cancel the S-days, I seem to end up making myself feel sick after too much food.

Aha! Part of that same learning curve then! I still find it quite amazing that the 'sickly, stuffed, ate too much junk' feeling I get sometimes when I overdo it on weekends is how I used to feel pretty much all the time! I mean, HOW can that really be NORMAL..!? Yay for listening to your body the moderation part will follow naturally once you get a handle on what is a proper "I'm full" signal.

C.

Had far too much curry and now feel bloated and horrible.

Still only one plate's worth, though.

M... Hey! I love curry!
Sorry you feel so "bloated" and "horrible".. That will pass...
Just learn from it...

I strongly recommend not screwing with the S days...
They are really important in your long term success..
Some weekends you may only want a few special things...
Some you will go nuts..
It's a learning process.
But if you don't have an outlet you are going to set yourself up for messups during the week...

Keep on getting better!!!
Peace and Love,
Deb

Day 13: SUCCESS

I couldn't finish my plate of reheated curry because there was TOO MUCH FOOD.

Hm, that thing you said earlier about hoovering down your food now -- is that still happening? Although I find I can cut through the late afternoon cravings with a clear drink, I'm finding I've started to do the Starvation Mode Shovel over the past couple of days, particularly at dinner (I'm roughly at the same point as you into this). Did it abate for you? Just curious; I'm hoping I can just ride it out. Thanks!

--seth

Day 14: SUCCESS

Still having trouble with eating fast, but I think trying to slow down is helping a little.

Day 15: SUCCESS

Hi M!

Good work so far

Eating fast may be a bad habit unto itself, but is it because you are ravenous when you get to your meal, or is that just the way you've become accustomed to eating? Or both?
I suggest to help with eating too fast, that perhaps you take the edge off, before you start inhaling your food, with a very large glass of water or maybe two... Fruit always fills me up, so you might want to slowly eat an orange or something, as well...

Another "diet friend" I have made, besides water and fruit, is spice...
If I eat a well spiced up meal, it usually feels more satisfying and I eat slower too (to keep my mouth from burning! LOL...)

Some people claim that ending your meal with a very big glass of water is good too, because it signals the brain that the meal is done and clears the taste buds up from wanting more...
I deviate from NoS a bit here and there, but overall I keep about 75% to the strict rules... For breakfast and lunch I am a "one plater" with no problem.. For dinner, I break with the rules and usually include either a small bowl of soup, or a nice big grapefruit or a medium salad, in additon to my one plate of the main meal... This is successful for me, and if I didn't do it, I'd probably be night time raiding or having seconds of dinner or some other thing... When I have a really satisfying dinner, I tend to be able to avoid the other S's, and since this is a life style and life change, I want to feel happy with my diet for the long term.. This works for me.
(and I used to eat seconds and thirds of everything, so this is a far better scenario!)

Hope some of this helps you
Peace and Love,
Deb

I think it's a combination of a bad habit and being hungry when I get to the meal.

I like my spicy food, although I've been trying to cut down after overdoing it on the chilli sauce and really regretting it the next day.

Day 16: SUCCESS

I've been dreaming about eating chocolate, though.

Day 17: SUCCESS

Goal for the weekend: Don't eat so much you get sick.

M!!!
Enjoy a rule relaxed weekend... don't make yourself sick please..
At least not on both days! LOL...

Have fun
Peace and Love,
Deb

Day 18: SUCCESS

I'm not sick yet, and only 2 hours to go!

Did have a bit too much olive oil, but I don't think that counts.

Think I've lost weight, but I haven't been keeping very close track of it.

You remind me of that old movie

"M"

LOL...

Nope, I definitely wouldn't sweat having too much olive oil..
That is so healthy...
Just bathe yourself in it as much as you want...

Have a nice night!
Deb

Day 19: SUCCESS

I don't mind olive oil it just makes you feel a bit funny. Two days to go and I'm up to 3 weeks! (but I'm sure I started on a Tuesday so maybe I've dropped a day somewhere)

Day 20: SUCCESS

(I still think I've lost a day somewhere)

Day 21: SUCCESS

3 weeks!

I argued with myself last night because I had two helpings, but it was a plate way smaller than standard, so I could've fit them on my normal plate in one go.

Yay M!!!
Good for you

Peace and Love,
Deb

Day 22: SUCCESS

Developed a decaff tall americano habit I need to break, but I don't think it counts against the diet.

Day 23: SUCCESS

Day 24: SUCCESS

and a S-day.

Day 25: SUCCESS

Can't fail on a S day. Ate borderline too much yesterday.

Got a toaster, now I can enter the wonderful world of toast for breakfast.

I was at work today, and had what would once have been a normal work day's worth of snacks. It made me feel very funny.

Day 26: SUCCESS

Day 27: SUCCESS

Had a latte earlier today, feel a bit guilty, think it might count as failure.

Day 28: Still indecisive. Had a latte and a glass of orange juice over the top of my usual n day allowance.

Hi M,

There are lattes and there are lattes. What kind did you have and how did you have it? Skim, full cream, half cream milk? No sugars, one sugar, six sugars? Added flavoured syrup? What about whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles (yes, there ARE some perverted folk out there who will put whipped cream on top of a latte! I even like to add some Baileys Irish cream in there on a weekend )

If it was a regular sized coffee latte with whatever type of milk and 2 sugars or less, with no other added stuff... well, I reckon that's probably OK. If it was a mega triple size concoction, and / or had a load of additional stuff in it, then that's definately an S day item.

There's so many different opinions on the subject here though, so what I think is OK for ME might not be OK for someone else. You'll have to work out for yourself if it's really a problem worth tackling. You'll have to decide for yourself where the boundary lies.

The other thing to examine is why...? Is this a new emerging 'bad' habit? Some kind of sneaky body sabotage? Replacement for something else you gave up a little too quickly? I know before I started NoS I tried to stop drinking English tea as I was up to about 25 or 30 cups of it a day. I cut it right back but then started to crave and eat much more chocolate instead! I finally figured out that my body was trying to find an alternative source of caffeine (rich dark chocolate has quite a lot of caffeine in it) Once I'd figured out the reasons behind it, it was much easier to stop eating the chocolate. I hadn't replaced it with coffee, cos that was just too obvious!

Good luck anyway.
C.

The standard kind, no sugar, no syrup. Decaf.

You can't put sugar in coffee, it's sacrilege.

The orange juice was because I got dragged to a bar by work, probably healthier than many pints.

I have been developing an emerging coffee habit I'm watching, although it's normally a decaf americano.

In this case it was peer pressure

Hi M,

Don't worry about it too much for now. The brain can only cope with so many new habits being forged at once, it seems!
You are also right that the OJ was better for you than most of the things on offer.

Have a good day today,
C.

I'm going to restart the count.

Day 1: SUCCESS

(marmalade on toast is also nice)

Day 28: Still indecisive. Had a latte and a glass of orange juice over the top of my usual n day allowance.

Hey M! Sounds like you are doing great!
Honestly, the stuff you are mentioning, just in terms of NoS is really very borderline.. Unless you are drinking a quart of juice a day and three lattes, I certainly wouldn't even focus on it...
You don't use sugar in coffee (sacrilege! LOL.. but not for me..)
so that's really a non issue...

Again.. I doubt the milk you use even amounts to a cups worth, even if you have two or three lattes...

Don't sweat the small stuff... That's a distraction of your energy and focus.. We are not trying to dissect every little thing we eat and drink, just trying to identify the big and obvious dangers... If we focus so much on the small choices which make our lives endurable, and which are just borderline stuff, eventually you just feel like you are on any other diet..
It becomes a huge chore.... Decaf Latte? Two glasses of juice?
This isn't exactly a wild feast orgy!

Hey! I wonder what your weight loss goals are anyway? Also, you don't seem American.. Are you a Brit!

PS.. How's your toaster working out? LOL..
I miss having one and must get one soon... Toast and coffee.... Good breakfast..
Continued good luck to you!

Peace and Love,
Deb

No no, tea and toast, far better.

Yes, I am a Brit.

My weight loss goals are a bit fuzzy and in the "I'll know when it looks right" camp. One numerical goal is that once, long ago, I managed to fit into 34" waist jeans, and I'd like to do it again.

i agree...defiantely tea and toast. The main reason being that straight coffee HATES me...or maybe it loves me as it tends to hang around afterwards and give me heartburn... I can have (and LOVE) a good Mocha...mmmmmm.....However, that is only on occasion, my breakfast choice is tea with a bit of local honey.

Day 2: SUCCESS

Day 3: SUCCESS

Rewatched Super Size Me for motivation.

I think I've eaten less today than I did last Saturday, and it was nicer stuff.

Rewatched Super Size Me for motivation.

I've read a lot about this movie but haven't felt at all motivated to see it..
LOL..

So what?
Do you need to be grossed out or scared straight to eat healthy?
Well.. If you stick to NoS, you can eat fast food and still lose weight and not end up with hepatitis and high blood pressure!
LOL..

Congrats on your week M!
Looking good!

Peace and Love,
Deb

Day 4: SUCCESS

Can't fail on a S day.

Day 5: SUCCESS

Can't fail on a S day.

Day 6: SUCCESS

Day 7: SUCCESS

Day 8: SUCCESS

Seem to be losing weight faster at the moment, but I think this is down to being a bit ill.

Days 9 & 10: SUCCESS

(and very busy at work, so I forgot to post yesterday)

Day 11: SUCCESS

Can't fail on a S day.

Day 12: SUCCESS

Can't fail on a S day, but need to watch my weekend consumption.

Day 13: SUCCESS

Weight is up again, think I had a bit too much food at the weekend.

Day 14: SUCCESS

Day 15: SUCCESS

Hi M!

Congrats on your successful days!
Peace,
Deb

Day 16: SUCCESS

What a beautiful, terse, and SUCCESSful log! Sorry I haven't popped in before. Love the "Can't fail on an S day," and your fence around the law strictness -- which you handle very well. It's not self-revenge, it's self triumpth.

Reinhard

Day 17: SUCCESS

Thanks reinhard. I've tried this twice before, it seems to be going better this time. Last time I tried I started feeling very weak and fuzzy after a few weeks, have managed to avoid that this time. I'm guessing it's a matter of eating slightly better.

I'm strictest between meals. I've found the need to make 'plates' for lunch very notional, but I still have a rough picture in my head of the correct amount.

I'm still unhappy with the S-day thing. I always feel like I'm disgustingly overindulging, even though it's probably about the same as a pre-no-s day.
The "don't make yourself feel sick" instincts you'd expect to kick in don't seem to yet, although even the fact that it makes me feel bad is probably progress.

Day 18: SUCCESS

I don't seem to be getting notification emails anymore.

Found it. My mail client had decided you lot were spam, but I've whitelisted beautiful_idiot@yahoo.com now so it'll hopefully all work.

Day 19: SUCCESS

I could really use a snack right now.

**Step away from the snack!** Hang in there!

On the plus side, no-s is having weird effects on me - my cravings are for dried apricots...

I know what you mean, i have some juicy apples just calling my name...can't wait for lunch! Pre-no-s, it would have been something like crackers, chips, cookies, you name it... It feels good to eat healthy! Just save those apricots for a bit longer and have them with your lunch.

Day 20: SUCCESS

Today I am old, so it's a S day.

Happy Birthday!
Peace and Love,
Deb

Day 21: SUCCESS

(s-day)

Up to 3 weeks again.

It's weird, after a day yesterday eating a lot, I thought I'd ease back into the no-s and had a big (but still single-plate) breakfast this morning. I now feel hungrier than I have in months.

Day 22: SUCCESS

I had a greasy breakfast today and felt very ill afterwards, which would never have happened before.

Hi M!
Sorry about the ill feelings, but I think that's a great sign..
It means your body is starting to detox and like being detoxed...
Of course every day is different and our stomach and liver don't always process food the same way, so who knows? It could be a temporary sign of Liver/Gallbladder energy overload.. But all in all, it sounds interesting and inspiring to me..
Hope you feel better..
Peace and Love,
Deb

Day 23: SUCCESS

I want to get back into the habit of cooking new stuff again.