Ljk's check-in

[moderatemeals]

Hi -
Just a little info about me. I'm a stay at home mom of 4 and I'm trying to build better eating habits for myself (and my kids.) I'm not trying to lose much weight but rather free myself from emotional eating and compulsive snacking! I cannot count the number of times I have gone to the pantry, eaten way too much for a reason other than being hungry! I've followed these boards and found that many have had success from following this plan. I, too, have had success from No S last year but then didn't follow it as strictly recently and so want to find that structure again. I find it feels incredibly liberating! So here I go.

Wt: 122
Day 1 (Mon): SUCCESS!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: homemade leek and potato soup and pita chips

Dinner: Pasta bolognese and sun chips (yes, I know a somewhat weird combination!)

Since my weakness is nighttime snacking, I just went to bed at 8:45am last night. I was exhausted after a really busy day and I knew that I couldn't handle the temptation past 9pm...esp with all the Halloween candy still in the house. I don't know why I struggle so much with that time at night. But, I know from my previous time following NO S that once I have a few weeks under my belt, I won't struggle as much at night.

[gk]

Hi there. I read your daily check-in and could SO easily relate to your situation! In fact, it's almost like I wrote it myself.....

I am a stay-at-home mom of 4, too. My major problem is my snacking. I'm always finding myself in the kitchen to munch on something when I'm not even hungry. I munch when I'm stressed, sad, happy, excited....you get the picture. I also have a habit of giving myself a "treat" by having a snack (or 10) after I put the kids to bed. I'm tired of my bad eating habits and need some structure, too.

I'm only on Day 2, but LOVE this diet! I can never stick to dieting and I can feel the difference already with this one. Very optimisitic!

Never have done daily check-ins before, but like that too, as it's nice to talk with other people going through the same thing.

We CAN do this!!

gk
Starting weight: 155 lbs.
Goal weight: 140 lbs.

[moderatemeals]

WT: 120.5
DAY 2 (Tues): SUCCESS

breakfast: oatmeal with granola

lunch: soup with pita chips

dinner: 2 slices of pizza

GK -- thanks for your encouraging words! As someone that has had previous success with NO S, I can tell you it works and you will love it! Last year, I followed the concepts strictly for awhile and I couldn't believe eating and staying slim could be so simple. Plus, I felt so good about myself because I was eating for all the right reasons and enjoying my food too. I have a terrible habit of overeating (my problem is sweets), feeling guilty about it and then saying I'm going eat really healthy the next day. I want to break that cycle. Plus, I never really enjoy a sweet...always felt like I was sneaking to eat it when the kids went to bed, etc. I want to be able to sit down and enjoy a piece of cake or treat with the family -- not wait until they've gone to bed and then eat way too much!

Good luck today

[gk]

Ljk----Boy, we are definitely on the same page! For years I have been trying to break my cycle of overeating sweets, feeling guilty, and vowing to start over again healthy the next day, only to find myself heading for the kitchen to find a treat the very next day. It was always so frustrating to me because for such a seemingly simple thing to do, I just couldn't stick to it for even a day!! And, yeah....I would always have a little treat with everyone else and then dive in when everyone's in bed. Nice.

Time for a fresh start! I feel this is actually going to work this time!!! (And yes, I've said that 100 times before with other diets, but oddly it just FEELS different this time, ya know?)

Hang in there!

[moderatemeals]

WT: 120
Day 3 (WED): SUCCESS!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ on whole wheat, sun chips and pita chips

Dinner: 2 chicken fajitas with black bean salsa, sun chips & pita chips

I'm so happy to have had success yesterday since Wed is always my hardest day. I slept amazingly well last night and woke up this morning feeling great!!

GK -- Hope you too had a great day yesterday!! Thanks for your support. It's nice to have someone that understands how difficult this cycle is to break!! Only a few more days until the weekend and I plan to have a nice dessert with my family that I actually enjoy!!

[gk]

Lisa-

So happy to hear that you made it through Day 3 with SUCCESS! Getting through a time that is usually pretty hard gives you that much more willpower for next time. You've definately earned that dessert with your family this weekend - enjoy!!!

And thanks for your support, too! It's been nice to check in with someone who's struggling right along with me.

Have a GREAT DAY and keep up the good work!!

[moderatemeals]

WT: 120

Day 4 (Thurs): Success!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ sandwich and pita chips

Dinner: Mahi Mahi with mango salsa, saffron rice and a roll

I am so excited that I made it through 4 days in a row of very strict No S! I haven't done that in a very long time. Normally, I'm pretty good about 60% of the week, but I'll have a slight binge on Wed or Thurs. I'll eat too much that night and wake up the next day feeling guilty and vow to be better that day. I am trying to do this very strictly now for 21 days because I want it to be second nature to me. I'm tired of having the emotions associated with overeating as well as all these conversations in my head! I'm looking for that freedom with food that I experienced last year when I successfully followed NO S for awhile. I think today should be pretty easy. I found last night so much easier than Wed night and since I'm almost done with the week, I don't think I'll mess it up today (fingers crossed!)

Good luck today to anyone reading my post too

[gk]

Lisa-

Congrats on making it through Day Four!! You're doing great!

I agree.....I want to stick to this strictly as long as I possibly can so it becomes effortless and just routine. The constant yo-yo-ing back and forth in the past has given me whiplash, and frankly, I can't take that way of living anymore!

I've found that hopping on-line here or reading a little from the No-S book whenever I'm feeling a little "shaky" helps alot with my willpower throughout the day....reminds me of how AWESOME I'm gonna feel if I just stay strong.

Enjoy your treat on your well-deserved S Day! (No more waiting till the kids go to bed - ain't it great?! )

[moderatemeals]

WT: 120
DAY 5 (FRI): SUCCESS!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ & pita chips

Dinner: Filet mignon with mushrooms, a few french fries & onion rings

I am absolutely thrilled to have had 100% success this week! It was a big struggle at times but I feel more in control now that I've had 5 successful days. I'm a little nervous about the weekend because I've felt so good all week I don't want to ruin that feeling! I'm going to continue to log because that might help be feel more accountable before I overeat!

[gk]

Lisa-

I'm SO happy for you! Congrats on your SUCCESSFUL week! As you've said before, it just gets easier, so that means we must've made it through the worst part, right? (whew!)

Hope your weekend goes well for you. I'm with you----I plan to log in every day (weekends included). It really helps me stay in line, and with so much freedom on the weekends, it's probably a good idea for me to utilize all the extra help I can get! Thanks so much for your support!!

Soooo, how was that treat?

[moderatemeals]

WT: 120

Day 6: S DAY

Yikes, I ate too many sweets today. But I promised myself I would log it, so here is goes!

Breakfast: Bowl of oatmeal squares

Lunch: soup, 1/2 PBJ sandwich and chips

And here's where it goes downhill!! After lunch, I decided to have a handful of these little cookies which I enjoyed. A few hours later, I decided I wanted my treat last night to be these homemade S'Mores bars which I've wanted to make for awhile. So I whipped up a pan and when they were finished, proceeded to eat several. Of course, I didn't cut them into squares but instead I just keep slicing off a piece here or there so I'm not really sure how much I ate! But in the end, I felt full and a little gross. I skipped my dinner because I wasn't hungry and then proceeded to have some of McFlurry around 10pm. (I haven't had one of those in years!!) I am disappointed in myself mainly because I skipped dinner. I rarely do that and I pride myself on the fact that I normally eat 3 meals per day. It's the nighttime sweets and snacking that is my problem. I will eventually have to make a mod for S days, but for the first 21 days I just want to follow it 'vanilla.' I'm afraid if I make too many restrictions I might just fall off completely.

I'm going to try and be better today. At a minimum, I will eat 3 healthy meals. And looking back at my week, I definitely need to incorporate more fruits and veggies.

To everyone reading, enjoy your S day today

[gk]

Lisa-

You're still doing good....remember he states in the "rulebook" that S days are for exactly that - getting your fill of what you've been craving. He states if it goes a little overboard now and then it's no big deal. (Actually just read that chapter in my book today. ) You sound like you got that craving out of your system and that is precisely why he created these S days. Now you can start again, knowing you won't have that craving in the back of your mind. After going five days doing fabulously, you earned that time off! This is our first weekend - we're due a little craziness.

I know what you mean about too many restrictions making you fall off the diet (see my check-in for my experience with that!!). It's definitely good not to be too rigid with the diet, so you won't throw the towel in completely.

You'll do well this week - you know you can....after all, you proved that to yourself last week! Just repeat!

Have a great day and good luck!!

Greta

[moderatemeals]

WT: 120.5

DAY 7 (SUN): S Day

Breakfast: cheerios and banana

Lunch: Sandwich, carrots and chips

Dinner: Potbelly's sandwich and chips

And of course, sweets!! I did better today. I stuck to having 3 meals and I incorporated one fruit and one veggie serving. I did eat more sweets that I care to admit, but I felt that it was a better day than yesterday. I picked at the homemade S'mores bars (probably ate about 2 squares total) and had an ice cream sandwich. I think knowing that I have to log everything is helping me give everything a second thought before I eat it (sweets-wise, that is) My ultimate goal is to always plate my sweets and eat them sitting down. Small steps though....just want to get through my 21 days.

[gk]

Lisa-

Hey, I noticed you weighed in and have had a weight loss - congrats!!

Glad to hear that yesterday was better for you!

Liking your fruits and veggies? I'm not a big fan of them and only eat alot of them when I'm on a diet....but they sure do taste good then, don't they? At least for me they do....when you're so hungry ANYTHING will taste good.

Good luck today!

Greta

[gk]

Oops...when I posted about your weight loss I had looked at your first entry and then your last, not noticing that you had been weighing daily. Not the most observant, am I.

[moderatemeals]

WT: 120.5

Day 8 (Mon): SUCCESS!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: chicken quesadilla, cucumbers and chips

Dinner: Pasta bolognese, zucchini muffin and 2 small slices of Italian bread

Yesterday was a huge success for me. I had to go from noon to 7pm without any snacks because we were having our dinner late due to afterschool activities. The best part of the whole day though was after dinner -- normally my weakest time of the day -- and for the first time in a very long time, I did not even think about snacking!! I can't even believe it. It is almost a compulsion for me to snack after dinner -- sadly, I think snacks/food are what I use to relax. But last night, I watched some TV and I didn't even think about going to the pantry to snack

Today will be an exempt day for me. I have to fast all day for a medical test I am having tomorrow. So, I can't eat anything all day -- only drink clear fluids. I am absolutely dreading today because it's only 7am and I'm already hungry!! Not sure how I'll survive today -- just trying to keep busy. I'll go back to my regular NO S on Wed after the test and will post on Thursday.

Good luck to everyone reading

[gk]

Lisa-

So happy to hear that you're starting to lose that craving for after-dinner snacking! I can totally relate.....the first thing I used to do after I put the kids to bed was sit down and watch my favorite show with a snack in hand. It's how I relaxed and let-down from the day. It's a hard habit to break - good job! I've actually been too chicken to try that yet. I've been reading his No S Book or doing other things after the kids' bedtime, because I didn't think I had the willpower to watch a show and not turn to munching.

All day with no food?? Yikes. How did that go? Hopefully, it wasn't as bad as you had anticipated?

I hope the medical testing turned out good for you and that all is well. Take care and good luck with your No S-ing!

[gk]

Lisa-

I'm glad to hear the testing showed healthy results and that all is well!

I'm quite impressed that you were even thinking about the diet after your testing. That's an S Day if I've ever heard one! I guess it shows your committment - good for you!

Boy, that was a long time to fast. Although, have you noticed that when you go a really long time without food you pass through the VERY hungry stage and then all of a sudden you don't even feel hungry anymore? Weird how that happens, but I'm sure thankful for it.

Good luck today.

[moderatemeals]

Hi -
Just a check-today. I had my test yesterday and had perfect results which is such a relief.

I counted yesterday as an S day because I really couldn't follow the No S principles after fasting the entire previous day and then being put under for the test. I did pretty well yesterday afterwards but am ready to start up strict again today. I have found I have most success when I follow No S in the strictest sense -- 3 plates only. Nothing else - not a pretzel, carrot or chocolate chip! For some reason, I find it easiest this way. And the more I follow No S, the more I want to follow it.

I will start up my usual posts tomorrow.

Good luck today to all reading

[moderatemeals]

WT: 119.5

Day 9 (Thurs): SUCCESS!

Breakfast: Oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ Sandwich, cucumbers and chips

Dinner: LaBriola Cafe -- filet mignon mini sandwiches, french fries and slice of bread

Yesterday was a great day for me because it reinforced the beauty of the No S Lifestyle. I really ate exactly what I wanted and I still posted a slight dip in weight. I went out to dinner with my sister and had an unhealthy dinner but was able to enjoy it without one ounce of guilt. I also didn't have the fear that I would gain weight or that my eating a less healthy dinner would spiral me into a nighttime binge. Once I have about two weeks under my belt of not snacking at night, it really becomes so much easier for me. For all you out there reading this post, please trust me on this and don't give up! While I might not be doing this plan for weight loss, compulsive snacking and overeating has been part of my life for such a long time and it makes me feel so out of control. And, the habit to break takes as long as the habit to make! I've started NO S so many times and had so many red days, but I feel as though I am finally making the breakthrough again. I really attribute this to the daily posts.

Good luck to all

[gk]

Lisa-

I'm so happy to hear that you're having such success with this diet! It's nice how this diet addresses more than just what and when you eat. It changes how you think about food and helps you to enjoy life more. Hard to believe that something so simple could be so effective!

I really enjoy reading your posts, too. In fact, I read your posts in the morning, before I start my day, to give me that extra boost to stick to my diet. Thanks so much for your support.

Enjoy your S Day - you've earned it!!

[moderatemeals]

Day 10 (Fri): [color=green]Success![/color]

Breakfast: Oatmeal with granola

Lunch: 4 chicken nuggets, 1.5 graham crackers, 1/2 muffin, 1/2 apple

Dinner: Chicken breast, carrots, chips and roll

Yesterday was a good day for me because I was pretty successful despite the fact we were traveling. We flew to Florida and normally I would snack at the airport, on the plane and once we arrived. But, I stuck to the plan and feel great this morning. I will admit my dinner was a bit sketchy because I added a few more chips to my plate after I sat down. But, all in all, I was really happy to not have sweets or snacks on a day I normally would have.

Weigh-ins will be few over the next 10 days because we don't own a scale down here. But, I actually want to move away from daily weigh-ins anyway so now is a great time to start.

Good luck to all reading and enjoy your S day!
Lisa

[Over43]

First, I wish I was flying to Florida, my satellite isn't receiving because of last night's snow. No Manchester United v. Wigan.

Very good sticking with it while you travel. That can be tough.

I hope you're in the Sunshine State for pleasure.

[gk]

Lisa-

Good job for sticking to the diet while traveling! It's so much harder when you're out of your usual routine - keep up the good work!

Thanks for the cooking blog. I'll definately have to try some recipes off that. I looked at some of the chocolate recipes......YUM.

Thanks for the water tip. I might try that....like you said it's easy to forget about it once you get caught up in the day's activities.

Hope you enjoy your stay in Florida. Have a fun S Day!!

[moderatemeals]

DAY 11: S DAY

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: chicken wrap and small cup of chili

Dinner: chicken breast, tomatoes, arugula, 2 slices of bread

Dessert: chocolate vitatop muffin topped with small serving of ice cream (YUM!)

Snacks: small handful of oatmeal squares, sun chips

I was really happy with this S day. For the first time, I didn't go crazy and I really enjoyed my dessert. I actually wanted to go to bed not feeling stuffed so I showed some restraint in the dessert department. It's the first time in a really long time I did that! It's now been 2 weeks that I've been No S ing and I feel very good about myself. And while I'm not following this for weight loss, I do feel thinner than two weeks ago and even my husband has commented on it. I think a lot of my success over the past two weeks has been logging daily and I intend to keep this up through the holidays just to keep on track.

Greta & Over43 -- thanks for your encouragement. It's always nice to hear comments from those reading these posts! Enjoy your S day

Lisa

[moderatemeals]

DAY 12: S DAY

BREAKFAST: OATMEAL WITH GRANOLA

LUNCH: CHICKEN NUGGETS, CARROTS, CHIPS AND ROLL

DINNER: 1 SLICE PIZZA AND 1.5 BREADSTICK

DESSERT: LARGE BOWL OF ICE CREAM, GOLDFISH GRAHAM CRACKERS, COUPLES SPOONFULS OF GRANOLA, TWO BITES OF A VITAMUFFIN

I'm making this post at night instead of in the morning today so I will stop eating now!! haha. I seem to want to eat more sweets tonight because I know I can't during the week. I've been back in the freezer twice now and what started off as a small bowl of ice cream has turned into a large one! I think I'm in a slight panic mode because I know I won't be eating sweets for awhile.
I definitely did not eat healthy today and am feeling a little gross right now. Kids really wanted Pizza Hut for dinner and so we indulged them tonight since we're on vacation. I always enjoy the first few bites of fast food and then quite honestly I wish I was eating a filet mignon, steamed veggies and some fresh bread. I really do prefer healthy foods for my meals if I have them available.

I'm looking forward to getting back to NO S tomorrow. I have to say that I'm actually excited about not snacking and not eating sweets.

My mini-goal for this week is to try and incorporate more raw fruits and veggies to my meals. I'm not going to drive myself crazy about doing it...just something I'd like to work on this week.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!
Lisa

[gk]

Lisa-

I'm quite impressed that you're continuing to diet during vacation. That's usually considered a time to break all the rules, but you're doing great staying on track! As for you "feeling a little gross" after today, that's actually a good thing. You'll be all the more ready to stick to your diet this week.

Funny, that you posted early tonight to avoid snacking some more. I've actually done that myself - with exercise, too. I figure if I've already posted that I've done something I can't very well not do it! Whatever works, right!?!

I slowly started eating fruits and veggies over the past couple of weeks. The only time I've ever eaten them is when I'm on a diet. With previous diets, I stuffed them down but didn't enjoy them at all. I don't know how No S-ing has magically changed that for me, but I definitely enjoy them more every time I have them now. I just started with some at one meal and slowly increased to including them in every meal. Now, I actually look forward to having them with each meal and miss them when I don't. This diet really does know how to change your habits!

Good luck with your new "mini-goal" this week and with the start of our third week on this diet. (Can't believe we've come this far already - time flies when you're having fun!)

[moderatemeals]

DAY 13 (MON): SUCCESS!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: grilled mahi sandwich with french fries

Dinner: Coconut chicken breast, mixed veggies, rolls and chips

Exercise: 30 minutes on treadmill (walk/run), 25 push-ups, few arm weights

Yesterday was a great day for me. I woke up before the kids woke up and got a quick workout in which felt great!

I found it easier that I expected to not snack last night. I was feeling pretty gross from my sweets and snacking on Sunday and so it served as an extra motivation for me to stick to the plan.

Good luck to all reading!

Lisa

[gk]

Lisa-

OK, now I'm really impressed - you're exercising on vacation?! Now, that's dedication! You've inspired me into thinking I should add to my stretches. I think I'll always have pain with my hip, so I might as well go ahead and try to get a better workout.

Glad to hear you had such a great day yesterday! You're doing awesome! I know what you mean by "life changing". I've battled with the whole dieting/binging thing since high school. It's like I'm waking up and seeing things differently now, ya know?

Good luck today! Enjoy the warm weather.

[moderatemeals]

DAY 14 (TUES): SUCCESS!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: mahi sandwich and french fries

Dinner: CPK pizza and couple of oatmeal squares

Exercise: 25 minutes treadmill (walk/run) and 25 push-ups

Today went well and I'm finding it much easier not to snack at night. Am hoping the habit is starting to form!

GK - Thanks for your kind and encouraging words. It's nice to have someone cheering me on esp someone that understand what a struggle this can be!

[gk]

Lisa-

Good to hear that you're doing so well with no snacking! We're fast approaching our 21st day, so I'm sure the habit is forming.

I've found what has helped me the most at night is simply brushing my teeth right after supper. Funny, how such simple things can make a difference!

Keep up the good work - you're doing great!

[moderatemeals]

DAY 15 (WED): SUCCESS!

Breakfast: Oatmeal with granola

Lunch: chicken/veggie wrap and french fries

Dinner: 1 slice pizza, 1 breadstick

Today was another relatively easy day. I did get the munchies around 4pm but had a cappuccino from Starbuck's to avoid snacking. It worked and I enjoyed my dinner because I was really hungry by the time I ate. I'm looking forward to a treat tomorrow. Tomorrow I am going to stick to 3 meals and 1 planned dessert. I'm feeling so good that I don't want to ruin it!! I think eventually I will need to make some sort of modification for weekends but I am not sure what it will be. Or maybe, I won't need to set a policy -- maybe I'll just naturally eat less sweets and snacks. Anyone out there have any great modifications to suggest once I've gotten past my 21 days for S days?

Happy Thanksgiving!
Lisa

[gk]

Lisa-

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's been great having you as a "diet buddy" on this program. These daily check-ins have helped me alot and kept me on track. Thanks so much for all your support!

Enjoy your holiday and S Day!

[moderatemeals]

DAY 16: S DAY

Breakfast: omelette, 1/2 blueberry muffin and 2 sausages

Lunch/Dinner: Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and a roll -but managed to fit it on one plate

Snacks: oatmeal squares, chocolate Goldfish crackers

Dessert: ice cream, Snocaps chocolates

I am feeling very full and wish I would have eaten a little bit less! In some ways, this day was successful and in others, it was not. I really want to stop completely with the snacking when I am not hungry -- and I snacked today just because I wanted to and 'was allowed' to because it was an S day, not because I was hungry. I also really wanted to put my dessert in a bowl or on a plate and not pick here and there. I wasn't so successful in that department either. I ate some of the ice cream from the carton which always makes me feel guilty because really I am 'sneaking' it as opposed to sitting down and enjoying it. I also think that leads me to binge and overeat. I'm trying not to focus too much on that now though. I'd like to first take care of getting my No S days all green before I tackle my S day behavior. So far, I'm really pleased with my No S days and so I'm going to focus on the positive!

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! I'm looking forward to a No S day tomorrow!

Lisa

[moderatemeals]

DAY 17 (FRI): Success!

Breakfast: cheerios and 1/2 banana

Lunch: chicken nuggets, cucumbers, roll and chips

Dinner: Coconut chicken, breadstick, mashed potatoes and corn

Well, after having so many easy No S days, today was a really hard day for some reason. I wanted to snack so badly before dinner but resisted the temptation somehow. I don't know why I feel like snacking and eating sweets today....esp after having so many days in a row where the temptation didn't seem to be there. If I'm really struggling in a few hours, I'm just going to go to bed early tonight so I don't have to deal with the temptation. The one great thing about having so many green days is that I really don't want to break my streak!!

[gk]

Lisa-

Good job resisting the temptation today!!

You know, I felt alot like you did today....wanting to snack and have sweets, even though I over-ate and snacked alot yesterday.

I've found that normally on my S days (weekends), I do much better when I don't allow snacking. Yesterday, I allowed snacks because it was a holiday and it just started the ball rolling. For me, it doesn't take more than one time to return to bad habits. I think since it takes so long to build the good habits, snacking is going to be vetoed completely from my eating. There are enough other outlets allowed so it shouldn't be too strict.

I've also read on other threads that people have more luck with having only planned treats on the weekend. For instance, if you really want a brownie, buy one brownie and then you won't have the whole batch in the kitchen taunting you the rest of the time. That way you're not being too strict, still getting to "cheat", but it's not so open that there is room to unexpectedly splurge. Kinda like how we're training our body to only expect three meals per day - we can train our body to only expect 1-2 planned treats a day on the weekend and be content with that. It's all about habits, I guess......He also stated in his book that looking at an empty plate at the end of our meal signals to our body that the meal is finished, and we will eventually be content and no longer hungry once we see that.

Hope tomorrow is easier for you. You've got so many green days on your calendar. You CAN stick to this! Just think how good you're going to feel when you wake up to yet another day of successful No S-ing. So worth it in the end!

Good luck!

[moderatemeals]

DAY 18 (SAT): S DAY

Breakfast: oatmeal with cheerios

Lunch: 1/2 hot dog, fruit and fries

Dinner: 1 slice pizza, pretzels

Snack: Vitatop muffin
Dessert: piece of birthday cake and ice cream with chocolate sauce

I think I did a pretty good job today of not going overboard. Granted, my meals were very unhealthy, but we ate at the beach for lunch and then went to a birthday party in the evening so I didn't have many options. I'm happy that I don't feel stuffed and despite all the junk food, I feel pretty good right now.

Greta - I took your advice and planned out my treats today and I think that really helped with my not going overboard Thank you!

Tomorrow, I'm going to try and stick to more of a No S day approach. I already had two S days this week and since we don't have anything special planned, I'm going to try and stick to 3 meals/no snacks. If something comes up, I'll allow myself the indulgence, of course!

[gk]

Lisa-

You're doing so good sticking to this diet on vacation! Glad to hear today was better for you.

By the way - "lunch at the beach" sounds WONDERFUL. The older I get, the less I like cold weather - brrrrrr. Hope you're having a great vacation.

Keep up the good work!

[moderatemeals]

DAY 19 (SUN): S Day

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: Mahi sandwich and french fries

Dinner: Chicken & veggie wrap with french fries

Dessert: Ice cream

Today went well though I had wanted it to be a No S day because I've already had two S days this week. However, we went out to dinner and since the kids and my husband had ice cream, I decided to have some too. I guess that is the point of as S day, so I'm not going to worry about it.

Looking forward to Nos' ing tomorrow

[gk]

Lisa-

Glad you took your S Day today - definitely a necessity! Plus, you've earned your treat; you might as well take it!

I know what you mean about over-analyzing and over-complicating things. I've always done that. I've been trying to simplify alot of things in my life lately, and it is helping already. Less IS more.

You know, I have been such a closet binger when it comes to sweets my whole life that I am in complete awe that I've had ANY luck in that department lately. If I can do it - ANYONE can do it. You can definitely get to that point - just give it a little more time! I just keep focusing on the fact that I'm not permanantly restricted from anything, so there's no reason for me to binge on it and "get in as much as possible before I can't have it anymore". That way of thinking always sent me over the edge before. I'd say, "Tomorrow, I WILL start this diet (which consisted of rabbit food and no sweets), and then I would proceed to binge on junk food and sweets until exactly 11:59 that night. And then the very next day, I would be thinking about cheating and a couple days later, I would be up at 11:59, totally disgusted with myself, and making the same statement all over again. Just the thought of my sweets being yanked away from me made me want them even more. I've finally learned to really look at it as a nice treat instead of this emotional release that I need to have to get through the day.

Now, I do realize that I'm WAY early into this program, so I'm sure there will be ups and downs like there is with everything. But, I am finally starting to crawl out of the emotional eating hole that I've been in my entire life, so there is NO going back for me! And by the sounds of it, I gather you're ready to be done with the whole emotional eating rollercoaster, too. We can do this!

You are SO close! Day 21 is just around the corner! You will have all GREEN successes on your calendar, and then we'll just turn around and do 21 MORE green successes!

Good luck tomorrow!

[moderatemeals]

DAY 20 (MON): SUCCESS!

WT: 119.5

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: Coconut chicken tenders, mixed veggies, 1/2 apple and chips

Dinner: Grilled chicken sandwich and fries

Today was a great day for me in terms of sticking to No S. We flew home from Florida and normally I snack quite a bit at the airport, on the plane, etc. But I ate a relatively decent dinner (choices were limited at the airport but did my best) and I did not snack at all....despite several temptations in the form of crackers, Golden Grahams and other snacks I packed for the kids. I also weighed in this morning at home and I didn't gain an ounce which is quite an accomplishment considering I ate a lot of french fries, pizza and chips while away!! I think that is such a testament to why this plan really works...I never once felt deprived on my vacation!! I even had cocktails on the beach several times that I didn't log so I never felt like I was restricted or on a diet.

I feel very happy to almost be at my 21 days...esp with the holidays approaching. I'm looking forward to actually enjoying my holiday treats this year!

Good luck to all reading!

Lisa

[moderatemeals]

DAY 21 (TUES): SUCCESS!!
WT:119

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ sandwich, carrots and chips

Dinner: Fish, tomatoes & spinach and 3 slices bread

Yesterday was such a hard day for me because I went out to dinner for a friend's birthday. I resisted the birthday dessert at the end and wanted to snack (my usual habit) once I got home. But, I resisted because I knew it was my 21st day and really wanted to make my goal. I slept great and am so happy I didn't cave in to the temptation! It is such a bad habit that I have -- I almost always snack post social events and most times I'm not even that hungry.

Now I'm starting my next 21 days!
Good luck to all reading!

Lisa

[gk]

Lisa-

Congrats on finishing your 21 days!! Sounds like you're doing great with your new habits! Keep up the good work!

Yeah, holiday treats will taste much better when you know they are part of your diet.

Good luck continuing your nice long green streak.

Have a great day!!

[moderatemeals]

DAY 1 (WED): SUCCESS!

WT: 118.5

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ sandwich, cucumbers & chips

Dinner: Pasta bolognese, broccoli & a few Sun chips

I was really busy today so following No S was pretty easy. I am definitely finding that clothes are fitting looser than before which is always nice going into a fattening holiday season!!

Lisa

[gk]

Lisa-

That's great about how your clothes are fitting! Even though I watch the numbers on the scale, I've always felt the real test is how my clothes fit.

Isn't it nice to look forward to our well-earned holiday treats this December, instead of feel guilty about them??

Keep up the good work! You're doing awesome!

[moderatemeals]

Day 2 (THURS): SUCCESS!
Wt: 118

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ, cucumbers, chips

Dinner: Baked ziti with spinach and bread

[gk]

Hope all is going well for you. Enjoy your S days!

[moderatemeals]

DAY 3 (FRI): [color=yellow] S DAY[/color]

Wt:118 (lowest weight in a very long time + a 4lb loss since starting 4 weeks ago!)

After looking at the calendar for the month of December, I have decided to change my two S days per week to Friday and Saturday. We have a few Friday night events as well as Christmas and New Year's Eve that all fall on a Friday, so instead of taking them as NWS days and then having 3 S days per week for several weeks, I am just incorporating them into my weekly schedule. If this works successfully, I might permanently make Fridays an S day. I don't want to make many modifications but since I've had 21 perfect days, I figured I'd try one out and see if it works for me. I also tend to be much busier during the day on Fridays, so I am also thinking I might be less likely to binge & snack all day. We'll see how it goes!

Breakfast: multigrain cheerios & milk

Lunch: PBJ, apple & chips

Dinner: 2 slices pizza & zucchini sticks

Snack: bowl of cereal, peanut butter & 2 graham crackers

[sidney202]

Congratulations on the pound-a-week weight loss!

[gk]

Congrats on the weight loss! And that timeframe even included your vacation - well done!!!

I think I'm gonna follow you're lead and start writing down my food intake each day. Ready to take that next step. Have you noticed that it helps alot?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[moderatemeals]

WT: 120

Weekend summary -
Despite my weight being a little bit higher, I actually had a good S weekend. I didn't feel as though I was totally out of control, especially considering all the social engagements we had this weekend. We did a lot of eating out all weekend and a bit more drinking than I normally do, so I guess the scale is going to show that!! But, it was a fun weekend and worth it. I also switched my S days this week as a bit of an experiment and took Friday and Saturday as S days. It worked well for me so I'm going to continue that for December and see how it goes.

Sat: S day

Sun: took as a No S day (because I took Friday as an S day)
Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: chicken noodle soup and 1/2 turkey sandwich

Dinner: chicken milanese, 1.5 slices of bread


Good luck to all reading!

[moderatemeals]

Mon Dec 6: SUCCESS!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ sandwich, apples, cucumbers & pop chips

Dinner: pasta bolognese & pop chips

Today was a relatively easy day because I was busy. I am also finding it much easier to stick to not eating after dinner when my dinner is late -- say after 6pm -- which it was today.

Good luck to all reading!

[gk]

Lisa-

Glad to hear you had a good weekend. Sounds like changing your S Days is going to be a good plan for you.

Thanks for the advice on the food log-in. That makes total sense to me. I think it will especially be good for me on S Days to prevent another S Day Gone Wild.

Keep it up - you're doing great!

[sidney202]

Sounds like you may have a winning strategy if you can always make your dinners a little later. Congrats on the success today!

[moderatemeals]

UGH!!! My first FAILURE in almost a month! I am so annoyed with myself. I caved in because I was absolutely starving before dinner. At first I thought I'd use the concept of 'virtual plating' to explain the roll I had before dinner. But once I started in on the pita chips following the roll, I just couldn't explain that one away. And then, because I had already ruined my day, I ate two mini twix bars that we still had left from Halloween. Plus, I didn't even enjoy my dinner as much as I would have if I would have skipped the snacking.

I have a real problem with 'perfection' because once I have ruined my 'perfect' No S day, I just use that as a reason to sabotage the rest of the day or evening. The twix bars I ate only because my day was ruined and why not ruin it even more? Not a good attitude to have!1

I am going to try and take something positive away from my failure today. First, because I am not trying to lose any more weight, I am going to allow a 4th meal, provided it is on a plate and incorporates 2 healthy foods, if I am absolutely starving. I think I will feel much better about working that into my habit if I need it than eating 1/2 a bag of pita chips! Second, I am going to try and not look at my week as a failure if I have the occasional failure. My goal is the finish the rest of this week all green and if I accomplish that, the week, in my eyes, will be a success. Normally, if I mess up one day in the week, I feel like I've ruined the week and don't really pay as much attention to the rest of the week.

Okay, really hope everyone else had a successful day!! Tomorrow I'm starting back on Day 1! Wish me luck

[gk]

Lisa-

Way to stay positive....learning from it and adjusting your diet to better help you next time.

I know what you mean about wanting to dive in and taste other things once you've went off the diet. You did good though.....just a few days ago, my list of cheat foods was QUITE longer than yours.

Hope you have a great day! Good luck!

[moderatemeals]

Just a quick follow up after my failure yesterday....I did not eat anything after the mini twix bars which is a bit of a success for me. I went back to the pantry about 8pm and almost started diving in because the day was already ruined, but put back the candy and didn't eat any of it. So, that's a small victory for me because that never happens!!

Good luck to all reading and thanks gk for the kind words!

[moderatemeals]

Wed Dec 8: SUCCESS + S Event

Breakfast: oatmeal + granola

Lunch: potato leek soup + half sandwich

Dinner: whitefish, spinach, mashed potatoes, bread

S Event: my mom's birthday
several bites of key lime pie and several bits of ice cream 'tower'

Today was a successful day for me. I have decided that for birthdays, I am going to allow myself to eat whatever is being served for dessert for the birthday. Tonight, we all split two desserts and I had bites of both, but definitely did not go overboard. I like the idea of an 'S event' for this type of occasion because I don't need to be snacking or eating sweets all day long for someone else's birthday! But, I felt part of the festivities and have not eaten anything else since we left the restaurant. Before No S, I would have not had any of the dessert in public and then would have proceeded to eat it later at night without anyone around and probably had 4x as much as I would have if I would have eaten it with everyone else. I'm not sure why I'm such a closet-eater....this is one of the things I'm really trying my best to change. So, that is why today was a success for me...I ate with everyone else and have not eaten any more 'in secret.' Boy, I have a lot of issues with food, don't I?! I am so happy with No S though because I feel as though I finally can see what it is like to have a normal & healthy relationship with food and I'm taking it day by day to get to that healthy place!

Good luck to all reading!
Lisa

[gk]

Lisa-

Good job with your S event tonight! That shows alot of control - you are doing great!

I can SO relate to your "closet eating". I've always done the same thing.....waiting till late and night after everyone is not around and eating so much more. It's definately a habit that is difficult to change, but we ARE changing it now, aren't we?! Sometimes I feel like this heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It's been such a struggle for so many years, it's SO NICE to "have a normal and healthy relationship with food".

Keep it up! Looks to me like it just keeps on getting better and better....

[moderatemeals]

Dec 9 FAILURE
WT: 118

Yikes -- after having a great 3 weeks, I've now had 2 red days in one week. I'm going to start my 21 day counting again just for extra incentive!!

Breakfast: coffee & bread at a friend's house

Lunch: soup, carrots, cucumbers and roll

Dinner: 3 small squares of pizza and carrots

Sweets/snacks: 1/2 sugar cookie, handful of chocolate chips and some graham crackers

The day started off without me having a decent breakfast because I knew I was going to a friend's house and I wanted to save my breakfast in case she made muffins or something to eat. She didn't have much to eat so I left feeling hungry and then had a decent lunch but really all day didn't feel satisfied. So, I should have incorporated a 4th meal of cereal or something but I seriously had the worst sugar craving after dinner and just caved in!!

I still will continue to journal though because I believe that over time this will help my eating habits tremendously. I'm just bummed out that I thought I had my habit under control and it looks like I've taken a few steps in the wrong direction!! Oh well....live and learn!

Good luck to everyone reading

[gk]

Lisa-

Well, it may have technically been a failure day for you, but looking at what you ate, you cheated on next to nothing, so that counts for something!

As for having your habit under control - you pretty much do, don't you see? Sure, you caved a little and had a snack/sweet, but it was minimal and you didn't throw in the towel and binge (something I know ALL about, by the way ). So, that was a step in the right direction!

About the veggie tray.....you know, I used to put the veggies out in individual containers, only a couple different kinds, and they didn't eat much. But once I started using this big tupperware with compartments around the dip in the middle, the kids looked at it with interest and now eat it. Too funny, how little things like that can make all the difference!

Good luck tomorrow. You've done awesome this past month......today was just a little bump in the road.

Have a great day!

[gk]

Lisa-

You know, I attribute a HUGE part of my success so far with this diet to the daily check-ins and to having a cyber pal helping me along the way. I've never had a support system for dieting before, and it has made a world of difference. I've also never chatted with people on-line before either, and I gotta say, it's kinda fun.

Thanks so much! You've really helped me alot, and I sure appreciate it!

[moderatemeals]

Day 1 (Fri): S day

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: potato and leek soup, roll, carrots, cucumber and apple

Dinner: Champagne chicken, mushrooms, roll, rice & broccoli

Treats: M&Ms, graham crackers and 1/2 chocolate muffin

Yesterday was an okay S day (I've modified my plan so Fri & Sat are S days). Part of me wanted to take it as a No S day because I had two failures this week, but I felt like skipping it would be the binge/diet mentality that I am trying to break. So, I had my sweets and I think I am craving my No S days even more now!

I am back to counting my days and want another 21 day streak. I am also toying with adding the modification that all my sweets need to be on a plate as opposed to just eating from a bag. I think the modification would be a healthy one for me. I don't want to feel limited in how many sweets I can have on an S day...I just want to rid myself of the mindless eating and sneaky habits. So, I'll add that to my S days as a success or failure starting today (day 2).

Good luck to all reading! And thanks for your support and encouragement Gk!

[gk]

Lisa-

I totally agree that it's better to have sweets/snacks on a plate vs. eating out of the bag. If I eat out of the bag, I'm sure I have at least 3 times as much as I'm supposed to. Plus, I feel like I enjoy them better on a plate, because I'm not just mindlessly munching. I know I only get that much on the plate, so I tend to pay more attention.

Good luck on your next 21-day streak. I just know you'll do great! Have a good weekend!

[moderatemeals]

Day 2 (Sat): S day
Wt: 118

Breakfast: oatmeal

Lunch: PBJ, carrots, cucumbers, apple & chips

Dinner: PBJ, carrots and cucumber

Sweets: few hershey's kisses and m&ms at a party and a mini twix bar when we got home

Today was a good day for me. The only thing I wanted to be able to do was put my dessert on a plate but we were at a party and there were no plates! However, since we were out in public, I was very restrained in my sweets. The biggest success for me was coming home and not eating everything in site....esp after I had a few cocktails at the party. Normally, I would come home and have another meal and lots of dessert, but I really want to get back on track after 2 failures this week, so I was extra good yesterday!

[gk]

Lisa-

Good job on your S Day! Sounds like you're staying right on track - way to go!

Glad to hear you're enjoying your veggies. I honestly used to be thoroughly annoyed by "those people" that ate veggies just because they liked them so much. Now, I'm one of them! It's weird.....the more you eat them, the more you want to eat them. I've found the same with water. I used to have such a hard time getting down a glass a day. Now, the more I drink, the more I want to drink, and I even find myself sipping more than I have to!

Actually, I do have something new to start at the New Year....exercising. I had started my pilates and stretching a while back, but the holidays have made my schedule so crazy that I was just too tired at the end of the day to think about it. So, I've decided to just let it go until after the holidays. Heck, with Christmas shopping and running around on errands, etc. I'm probably getting my cardio in anyway! Are you still doing your exercises? How's it going?

Have a wonderful day! Keep up the good work!

[moderatemeals]

Sun Dec 13: No S day for me and failure

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ and apple muffin top

Dinner: chicken milanese with slice of bread and chips

Snacks: bowl of cereal, graham crackers and handful of M&Ms

Well, bummer of a day because I was great up until 9pm! I didn't go ridiculously overboard, but I was bummed that I lost my willpower. Today, I'm started back on Day 1 and hoping for a 21 day streak again.

[sidney202]

Lisa,
Sounds like you have had a tough few days in the last week, but you are hanging in there. That is half the battle!

For more encouragement, read page 123 of the No S book. It discusses a Washington Post article that states: "Studies show that altering eating habits for good requires 10 to 12 concerted attempts to succeed-which is to say about a dozen failures come before the eventual success."

If this is true, this means your slip up means you are a little bit closer to getting it right for good! Keep your chin up.

[gk]

Lisa-

Hang in there! You've proven before that you can do the 21-day streak, so you can do this. When you're getting hungry, just remind yourself how good you felt the mornings you woke up after having a successful N Day and then throw yourself into whatever task you may have at hand.

Does gum help you at all? Usually, when I'm getting hungry, I have a tall glass of water and then a piece of Eclipse Spearmint Gum. It's a strong enough flavor that it keeps me content until the next meal. Haven't tried the glass of milk yet, but I've heard that has helped others.

Also, if possible, whenever I'm feeling my willpower waver, I sit down and read entries on the "No S Bulletin Board" or page through the No S Diet Book. It's inspiring and reminds me why I want to stick to this diet. That has helped me alot on more than one occasion.

Just thought I'd throw out some ideas that have helped me in the past. Hope it helps!

Good luck tomorrow!

[moderatemeals]

Mon Dec 13 (Day 1, round 2!): SUCCESS!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: PBJ with pita chips and grapes

Dinner: Pasta bolognese, broccoli and slice of italian bread

GK & Callie302 -
Thanks so much for the kind words and encouragement! I appreciate all the advice and support and will definitely try some of the techniques you both suggested Even though I've had a few slips ups the past week, I know that I'm in this for the long haul and I will get there! I am finding the posting and support from the bulletin board so helpful, so thank you both!

Hope you both are having good days!
Lisa

[gk]

Lisa-

Good job on your success!

You know, every time I see you have oatmeal for breakfast, it makes me hungry for that, but I've always been a "cereal girl" in the morning. What kind of granola do you put in it? I used to eat granola that came in a bag (can't remember the brand), but if I remember right it had nuts and was sweetened, so I guess that would be a no-no. However, the raisin bran I eat is a "raisin bran crunch", so it's probably sweetened somewhat. I figured if it's Fiber One raisin bran it can't be all that bad, so I've allowed it.

Your food log-ins are showing lots of veggies and fruit anymore - that's great! Are you enjoying them or still feel like they are "diet foods" that must be included?

Good luck today! Go for green!

[moderatemeals]

Day 2: Not a success!!

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: sandwich, chips and sugar-free jello

Dinner: 1/2 of a filet mignon, corn, cucumbers, roll, rice and few pita chips

9pm 'breakdown': few m&ms, couple 'letter' cookies (they are very tiny), few chocolate chips

Well, I definitely have lost some motivation. Not exactly sure what is causing my lack of determination. I am having trouble at almost exactly the same time I always do...around 9pm. So strange that I crack at this time because I go to bed by 10pm. Why can't I seem to make it through the last hour? I recall the first week of my successful 21 day stretch, I actually went to bed earlier just to avoid cracking around 9pm. So, I might have to try that again. I am also finding that because I'm not trying to lose any more weight (and am actually at my lowest weight in a very long time) that I'm justifying around 9pm that I can eat what I want. Funny because if I keep doing that, I will definitely gain weight so not sure that there is any logic there!!

On a positive note, my eating habits have definitely improved since logging. I am eating more fruits and veggies and have cut out my perma snacking which used to start about 4pm for me on pretzels, graham crackers, etc. Also, my 'binges' are SO much better than they used to be. Last night for example, I definitely could have skipped the 9pm sweets but it was so much less than I used to eat so that is a big positive. I am still very disappointed in myself that I can't seem to make this a permanent habit yet but I know that takes time. This is the longest I've ever gone logging and tracking my habits, so I keep telling myself I will get there. Thank you to all who have offered advice and support...I think that is the reason I keep posting each day even when I would rather hide my failures!!!

So, I will keep on logging because I AM going to get there. I love seeing gk's success and she is keeping me inspired!! Gk - in answer to your question, my granola brand is 'back to nature' -- green and brown bag -- and I buy the classic granola which is sweetened only with cane, pear and pineapple juice. It is delicious and I look forward to my breakfast every day.

Good luck to everyone reading! I have a very busy day today which is always helpful for me in having a green day...keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow has a big fat green SUCCESS at the top!

[BrightAngel]

my eating habits have definitely improved since logging.
I am eating more fruits and veggies and have cut out my perma snacking.
my 'binges' are SO much better than they used to be.
Last night for example, I definitely could have skipped the 9pm sweets
but it was so much less than I used to eat so that is a big positive.

Good News, ljk

[gk]

Lisa-

First, I'm glad that you're continuing to post. I really do believe that is SO helpful in staying on a diet. Like I've said before....this is my first time posting/using a support system for dieting, and I cannot believe the difference. Plus, I would miss your posts if you stopped.

Second, I got to thinking today.....I've read about someone on this bulletin that has modified the No S Diet to have one S per day. You seem to have control whenever you do have your sweets (the amounts are so minimal), so I wonder if maybe that would be an option for you? Maybe if you "trained" your body to know that yes, I can have a sweet at 9:00, but it will be a pre-determined one and no more, and then you would be content with just that (kinda like an S Day treat on the weekend). Just an idea.....

Also, like you said, maybe just getting more sleep might be all you need. It sounds like your schedule has been crazy lately. I know when I'm run down from being busy, the first thing I want to turn to is sweets! But whenever I'm well rested, I seem to have more willpower.

I have noticed how your menus have changed since November - you've done a great job including your fruits and veggies! This diet just sneaks up on ya and makes you a healthier and happier person, doesn't it?

Hang in there! Don't ever hesitate to drop a line or just vent your thoughts. I am very thankful for your support and plan on doing the same for you!!

Good luck! (Oh, and thanks for the granola tip....definiately will try it! )

[moderatemeals]

Day 1 (Wed): Success!
WT: 118

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: Sandwich, chips and 1/2 apple

Extra meal: bowl of cheerios with milk

Dinner: Sushi, edamame

Today was a great day for me. We went out for a later dinner with friends and I decided to try out my mod of an extra meal. I ate a bowl of cereal at 6pm because I was absolutely starving and knew I wouldn't be eating dinner until 8pm or later. (I had played tennis for 2 hours earlier in the day so I know my body needed a little extra fuel). Since I have been struggling over the past week staying 'green,' I am going to really try and add a bowl of cereal at 9pm if I feel as though I'm going to break down and eat the sweets (or earlier if we have plans to go out for a later dinner). GK- I've also thought about the mod that you suggested of having one sweet per day, but I just don't know if I would stick to that. It's such a slippery slope for me!! I've also thought about having 3 floating S events and I can take them whenever I want throughout the week, but I'm going to try and see if the cereal works for me. I like the idea of keeping my sweets to the weekend and taking them in public (as opposed to my closet eating habits!)

GK, Callie & Bright Angel -- thanks for your support! This bulletin board has kept me sane over the past month and I am grateful for all the kind people I have encountered along this journey (who understand the very complex relationship one can have with food!) I feel as though I have really improved my habits and I am happier as a result!

[BrightAngel]

I feel as though I have really improved my habits
and I am happier as a result!

Way to Go !

[gk]

Lisa-

Happy to hear you had such a good day yesterday! I think the idea of cereal at 9 pm if needed, is a good one. I hope it works out for you!

I was impressed with the notation about 2 hours of tennis - I think I'd make it about...oh.....10 minutes.

Yes, it is so nice to talk with people who truly understand what it's like to have a problem with food! I talk with my husband about it, but you can tell he just doesn't get what's so hard about not eating sweets or snacks. And it's also comforting to hear others struggle with the same things that you do, so you don't feel like you're taking on the challenge alone.

Good luck on another green day!

[gk]

Lisa-

Glad you had another good day. Enjoy your night out and have fun the rest of the weekend!

[gk]

Lisa-

Thanks so much for your post! I felt a lot better after reading it. It is funny how our journeys have been pretty parallel. We can really understand each other, can't we?

Yeah, I was kinda depressed the past couple days and the old habit just kicked in, high gear. But I agree with you.....you just feel worse after the bingeing, so I will implement a different way to cope. I'm really looking forward to my pilates, but since we're leaving on a trip on Monday, I'll just wait until we get back to start. Until then, I'll just keep reading the bulletin and reviewing the book - much needed reminders of how much this diet is actually helpful during hard times instead of making them harder. Will throw myself into projects, too, to avoid thoughts turning to snacking.

I think I will also follow your lead (your my role model this time ), and make my lunches more of a variety and not stress the whole "diet food" thing when I make them. I agree - you start thinking "diet" and pretty soon you crack. (Well......mine was more like an earthquake ).

Thanks again for your kind words and motivation. It really does help and I appreciate it!

Will check in with you later - just wanted to write this quick note of thanks.

[gk]

Lisa-

Glad to hear you're enjoying your running so much. I would definately add that to your regular routine, since you seem to enjoy it so much. They say if you do something you thoroughly enjoy, odds are you'll stick with it. I've heard other people say they feel so much better after a good run, but that's never been the case with me. Ever watch that episode on "Friends" where Phoebe takes up running? That would be me. (:lol: just kidding). However, I think I'll stick to my pilates.

I've never done pilates in a class. Just use Roku (instant Netflix) after the kids go to bed. I've always wanted to go to a class though, but you're right....too hard to get there.

Thanks for sending your positive thoughts my way - I think it's working.

Have you decided to stop the whole daily check-in or just taking a break during the holidays? Maybe I should use your e-mail (like you suggested) to avoid filling up your check-in thread? Either way, it's good to hear from you. Buddy system seems to help me alot. Hope it does you, too.

Keep up the good work! Nice to hear you so happy.

[sidney202]

I've also thought about the mod ....of having one sweet per day, but I just don't know if I would stick to that. It's such a slippery slope for me!! I've also thought about having 3 floating S events

Lisa (and Greta) ,I will be watching and learning from your experiences in this area. After my 90 day commitment to vanilla No S, I am curious if any of the mods out there would be useful for me. If I come across anything helpful in this area, I will be sure to pass it your way as well.

I am very impressed with the running you are doing. A few years ago, I started running 3-5 miles, a few times a week. After getting over the initial hump, I began to love it. It was like a meditation. However, I got out of shape, gained 50 pounds and haven't run in a while. Your post made me remember how much I used to love it. Glad its working for you!

[gk]

Lisa-

Just sent you an e-mail - not sure if it went through?

Have a great holiday season! Will check back with you in January.

[gk]

Tried to e-mail you something, but it showed that it didn't go through .....so I just copied and sent it to you the "old-fashioned way"....

Lisa-

Isn't it fun to watch the kids get so excited about Santa? After doing our scavenger hunt for our present to the kids, they were practically bouncing off the walls with excitement about Santa coming tomorrow. Too cute.

Well, I've decided to follow your lead once again and take a little break from the whole No S Diet for a bit. Except, I'm going to take it one step further and take it easy until Jan. 4th or 5th. I'll just "lean towards" the diet during that time. By then we will be back from our trip to Tennessee, the kids will be back in school, and my routine will be back to normal. With everything going on, I think I just need to take a break and start fresh next month. (Plus, I have a feeling my nerves from this trip will burn off any excess calories I might eat, so I won't have to worry about any weight gain!)

Also, decided my approach to the diet will be more laid back this time around. Still plan on going vanilla, but focusing on habits instead of that "magic number". Life's too short to sweat the small stuff, right? Just takin one day at a time - no worries.

Lisa, 2011 will be our year to let go of food obsession and the emotional rollercoaster eating habits of our past for good! My new year's resolution? I'm planning on taking each aspect of my life and simplifying it as much as possible. I've found that everything from my eating habits, to the house, to my schedule, etc. has become way more complicated than it needs to be. I'm spending so much time overanalyzing and juggling everything that life is passing me by without my enjoying everything to the fullest like I should. When you think about it....it's just applying No S to everything else. Simple is good and all it needs to be.

Well, more than likely, I won't have access to the Internet while I'm gone (gasp!), so you probably won't hear from me again until 1/4 or 1/5. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year! Enjoy!

[moderatemeals]

Jan 3 Monday
wt: I don't want to know!

Well, I'm back at it again, vanilla-style! After two weeks of slowly but surely getting sidetracked by all the holiday festivities, I'm ready to get back to some sane eating habits again.

Breakfast: Kashi cereal with milk; coffee with creamer

Lunch: ham, tomato and lettuce on a bagel; crackers

Dinner: leek and potato soup with tortilla toppings; corn muffin

I am also going to track my big New Year's Resolution here:
to eat every single meal/item of food from a plate or bowl!! This is a HUGE undertaking for me but I think it is simple enough to quantify and hopefully a habit I can break. I've noticed my kids eating from pretzel or chip bags instead of sitting down to enjoy their snack and if I want to have them develop good habits, I need to model it myself. (This attitude helped me quit my diet Coke/Pepsi habit because I don't want them drinking it so why should I?) Oh and my other resolution is to exercise for 20 minutes M-F. That one will be challenging, but I've started running again and it feels great so I'm going to at least try and keep this resolution for Jan when I'm not able to be outside/moving around as much.

Hope everyone had a nice holiday! I'm happy to be back posting!

[moderatemeals]

Jan 4 Tues

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: soup & 1/2 sandwich

Dinner: pasta with marinara sauce and broccoli, sugar-free jello

4th meal: Kashi cereal with milk

Exercise: 3.5 miles on treadmill
Resolution to eat only off a plate or bowl: success

Today was a relatively easy day though I found myself practically starving after dinner. Because I didn't follow No S very much over the holidays, I am sure the next few days will be tough and I'll feel more hunger pangs than I used to. Even though I am hoping for vanilla No S, I allowed myself a 4th meal today of cereal and milk because I was hungry enough that I knew I would have a really hard time trying to fall asleep tonight if I was that hungry. Plus, I worked out this morning so I don't mind allowing myself a relatively healthy mini-meal. Hoping that tonight is the only night I need to do that!

And it's feeling great to be back in the swing of no sweets again. I'm missing them now, but am excited to think of really being able to enjoy my treats again this weekend. Over the holidays, I didn't really enjoy them as much because I started feeling guilty because I was having them more than I should have!

Good luck to all!
L.

[moderatemeals]

Jan 5 Wed

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: soup & 1/2 sandwich, sun chips

Dinner: breaded chicken, bread, bruschetta

Exercise: tennis drill/2 hours

Good day today. Very very hungry in the afternoon but managed to resist any temptation. Had a late dinner so am hopeful that I'll be able to skip any temptation tonight as well.

Good luck to all reading!

[moderatemeals]

Jan 6 Thurs slight meltdown

Breakfast: oatmeal with granola

Lunch: Chicken nuggets, apple with peanut butter and chips

Dinner: Pasta marinara, broccoli, chips

Meltown: cinnamon cereal and 4 mini chocolate pretzels

Exercise: running 20 minutes
Resolution: failed, but caught myself as i was not eating from a plate and stopped eating so i guess it wasn't all in vain

Overall, disappointed in the day, but as everyone has recommended: mark it and move on. Will try to be better tomorrow!

[gk]

You're not alone...... I did okay until dinner and then dove headfirst into the dessert drawer and never came back up for air. Good thing I'm so relaxed about this diet now, or that might have really upset me. (hmmm....maybe I'm a little TOO relaxed now. )

You stopped before it got out of hand.....you did good.

[moderatemeals]

Fri & Sat - S days
Decided to skip food log on S days to avoid burnout! Yesterday was a good day for me though....no sugar even though it was an S day!

[gk]

Good idea - to break from logging on weekends. Makes structure of N days even more appealing.

Good luck this week!