Stressed Out Mum Needs Encouragement

Counting carbs/calories is a drag. Obsessive scale stepping is a recipe for despair. If you want to count something, "days on habit" is a much better metric. Checking off days on a calendar would do just fine, but if you do it here you get accountability and support. Here's how. Start a new topic in this forum called (say) "Your Name Daily Check In." Then every N day post a "reply" to that topic as to whether you stayed on habit. A simple "<font color="green">SUCCESS</font>" or "<font color="red">FAILURE</font>" (or your preferred euphemism if that's too harsh) is sufficient, but obviously you're welcome to write more if you want. On S-days just register that you're taking an S-day. You don't have to do this forever, just until you're confident you've built the habit. Feel free to check in weekly or monthly or sporadically instead of daily. Feel free also to track other habits besides No-s (I'm keeping this forum under No-s because that's what the vast majority are using it for). See also my <a href="/habitcal/">HabitCal</a> tool for another more formal (and perhaps complementary) way to track habits.

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Ruthie71
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:37 pm

Stressed Out Mum Needs Encouragement

Post by Ruthie71 » Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:47 am

I had just about given up on NoS. I get so bloody hungry at around 11.00 a.m. I am a stay at home mum dealing with a lot of issues. Food is my soother. This, plus the fact I am so hungry has meant EPIC FAIL every time I have tried Day 1. I am also breastfeeding which is lovely but exhausting.
I had decided to try Old Weight Watchers so that I could eat an apple or carrot around 11.00 a.m but to go it alone for a number of reasons. Yesterday I had my last day before I started and of course I ate loads of chocolate etc. All night I kept waking up as I felt anxious about starting to try to count points, deal with weekends counting points and going on holidays counting points. With my first struggle of the day, getting my daughter to co-operate getting dressed I realised that counting points is stressful and I am under enough stress as it is.
I have decided to give NoS another try. I am also going to try to eat 2 fruit and 5 veg a day. wish me luck. Bye for now. R

r.jean
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Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 7:47 pm
Location: Midwest

There is no day one any more

Post by r.jean » Mon Feb 21, 2011 2:47 am

For years, I resolved almost every day to eat better..... starting the next day. Often I went ahead and pigged out knowing I was going to start that better eating the next day.

Since starting No S, I see it as a permanent eating plan. No matter how much I fail, I do not "start over." I mark a red day on my calendar, and I move on. It is a new way of thinking and a new way of doing...

I wish you the best of luck. I hope you find No S to be as rewarding as many of us have..
The journey is the reward.
Maintenance is progress.

Starla
Posts: 398
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 4:55 pm

Post by Starla » Mon Feb 21, 2011 4:18 am

I had the same problem when I started No S. I became too hungry at about 11:00 - hungry to the point where I had headaches and could think of nothing but eating.

What worked for me was adding some fat and protein to my breakfast in the form of peanut butter (on a bagel). You may just need to eat a more substantial breakfast - especially since you're breastfeeding!

Another thing to remember is that you can have a glass of milk if you're hungry. Maybe that could help tide you over until lunch.

Good luck, and keep trying until you find something that works for you.

Ruthie71
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:37 pm

Post by Ruthie71 » Mon Feb 21, 2011 6:34 am

Awesome encouragement. Thank you so much. A latte mid morning worked wonders. I did my back in at the library - lol! Lifting babies, strollers etc. So the exercise will have to suffer a setback of a few days but that is not an excuse to embark upon the "all or nothing" approach. Have a good one. R

Ruthie71
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:37 pm

Post by Ruthie71 » Wed Feb 23, 2011 6:00 am

Well I blew it on Day 1 and the same old pattern continues

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coffee
Posts: 69
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Location: UK

Post by coffee » Wed Feb 23, 2011 1:11 pm

Sorry you're finding No-S tough so far. I'm new too, and I'm not a mother, so my ability to give you any advice is limited, but I just wanted to pop in and offer up some cheerleading/encouragement. It really doesn't matter how many times you fail, because you still have days in front of you to succeed. Good luck!
Stats: female, 22 years old, 5'3".
Starting weight: 125lbs.
No-S since January 17th 2011.
14 Minutes of ANYTHING since February 28th 2011.

kccc
Posts: 3957
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:12 am

Post by kccc » Wed Feb 23, 2011 1:49 pm

Hang in there.

Some thoughts/ideas:

Can you "dial it back" for a bit, to a level where you CAN succeed? Maybe plan in a "mini-meal" at 11:00 for a bit? I did that when I first started, because I was SO used to grazing all the time, and one snack (for me, it was 4:00) was very hard to drop. But I limited the menu ("if you're not hungry for fruit/yogurt, you're not hungry") and only got it if I needed it. Consider: If you drop "random eating," you're still making progress.

(I think that's wise ESPECIALLY if you're bf'ing, which does take energy.)

Also, don't let one slip-up be an excuse to blow the rest of the day and "start again tomorrow." Start THEN. Immediately. That moment. The faster you get back on track, the faster your habits will build.

Finally, food is a source of comfort to all of us. Can you identify OTHER sources of comfort you can substitute? Nice music, flowers in the house, a long bath (hard with kids, I know), whatever helps you feel less stressed out.

Good luck!

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