SimpleLife's-21 Day journal

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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SimpleLife
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SimpleLife's-21 Day journal

Post by SimpleLife » Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:33 pm

I have finally come to a point in my life where I just want things to be simple. I've tried just about every diet you can name and I am still 40 pounds overweight...not because the diets don't work but I just couldn't commit to them. I know that losing weight requires some caloric or carbohydrate deficit but I just can't handle all the rules and restrictions and counting. Ya know?

So, here I am hoping to use the principles of this plan to just live and eat normally and lose weight. I don't want to be obsessed with a scale or a measuring tape. I just want to go about life and let my body change as quickly or as slowly as it wants.

One thing I've adopted over the past few weeks is eating 2 meals a day. I have discovered that I really don't need 3 meals everyday (some days I feel I do but most days I don't). I have tuned in to when my stomach is actually empty vs. when I am just eating for the sake of eating.

So here I go:
NO snacks
NO sweets
NO seconds
NO starches (my own addition as I tend to overeat bread, pasta, and potatoes)

EXCEPT
Saturday, Sunday, and Special days
Last edited by SimpleLife on Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:23 am, edited 2 times in total.

SimpleLife
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:17 pm

Post by SimpleLife » Sun Apr 17, 2011 11:54 am

Sunday 4/17/11 -S DAY


Alright, today is my official start day.

How do you handle the wave of guilt that comes with eating things that you personally feel aren't really healthy (but sure do taste good)?

Also, do you follow any portion control on S days?
Last edited by SimpleLife on Sun Apr 17, 2011 6:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Starting Stats: April 15, 2011 ~ 35 yrs old ~ 5'2~ 165lbs ~ size 12/14

Goals
1. size 6/8
2. to wake up and go through my day without obsessing about food or weight

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NoelFigart
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Location: Lebanon, NH
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Post by NoelFigart » Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:05 pm

S-Days are off the hook. Completely.

In practice, my meals tend to be one plate, as seconds were never the problem for me that snacking was/is (If I have an excessive S-day, it's snacking).
------
My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.

SimpleLife
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:17 pm

Post by SimpleLife » Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:26 pm

So, Noel, do you ever feel guilty on S days?
Starting Stats: April 15, 2011 ~ 35 yrs old ~ 5'2~ 165lbs ~ size 12/14

Goals
1. size 6/8
2. to wake up and go through my day without obsessing about food or weight

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NoelFigart
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Location: Lebanon, NH
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Post by NoelFigart » Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:37 pm

No.

I might feel I made a choice that's not in line with my goals, but I'm so burnt out lifelong dieting and body image issues that I even find the idea of making it a moral issue an irritant. (Which is better than where I was a year ago when it used to severely piss me off, mind).

(Here's my diet story, if you're interested)
------
My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.

milliem
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Post by milliem » Sun Apr 17, 2011 5:12 pm

One of the things I think is key to NoS is trying to let go of all that 'guilt' and 'diet' mentality where anything that isn't low-fat, low-carb, low-sugar, (low-taste..) is BAD BAD BAD. Ok your choices might not always be brilliant but if your goal is to lose weight at a moderate and sustainable level, they'll probably be good enough the majority of the time.

Plus, choices on an S day are meant to allow you to taste and enjoy the foods that you love even if you wouldn't want to eat them every day. It's actually easier than I thought to switch back to N days when I know that my S day treats aren't a 'guilty pleasure' or 'diet failure', they are part of my lifestyle and choices.

SimpleLife
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Post by SimpleLife » Mon Apr 18, 2011 8:53 pm

DAY 2

Monday, April 18

EATING: SUCCESS

EXERCISE: SUCCESS

Tomorrow I will add a eat-more-slowly habit.
Starting Stats: April 15, 2011 ~ 35 yrs old ~ 5'2~ 165lbs ~ size 12/14

Goals
1. size 6/8
2. to wake up and go through my day without obsessing about food or weight

SimpleLife
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:17 pm

Post by SimpleLife » Mon Apr 18, 2011 8:57 pm

Noel and Milliem,

Thanks for your comments. I did have a little guilt yesterday. It felt counter productive to eat a candy bar but I did enjoy it!
Starting Stats: April 15, 2011 ~ 35 yrs old ~ 5'2~ 165lbs ~ size 12/14

Goals
1. size 6/8
2. to wake up and go through my day without obsessing about food or weight

SimpleLife
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:17 pm

Post by SimpleLife » Wed Apr 20, 2011 12:37 am

Day 3

Eating: SUCCESS
Exercise: SUCCESS

Unfortunately, I have a serious matter that has arisen in my life. I will not be able to post as much as I would like, but I am determined to stick with the plan.
Starting Stats: April 15, 2011 ~ 35 yrs old ~ 5'2~ 165lbs ~ size 12/14

Goals
1. size 6/8
2. to wake up and go through my day without obsessing about food or weight

SimpleLife
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:17 pm

Post by SimpleLife » Thu Apr 21, 2011 1:25 pm

Day 4 SUCCESS
Starting Stats: April 15, 2011 ~ 35 yrs old ~ 5'2~ 165lbs ~ size 12/14

Goals
1. size 6/8
2. to wake up and go through my day without obsessing about food or weight

Who Me?
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Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:18 pm

Post by Who Me? » Thu Apr 21, 2011 2:07 pm

Hang in there!

(Are you sure that no starches is actually a healthy choice?)

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