Everyday Systems

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

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?

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).

So, Noel, do you ever feel guilty on S days?

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)

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.

DAY 2

Monday, April 18

EATING: SUCCESS

EXERCISE: SUCCESS

Tomorrow I will add a eat-more-slowly habit.

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!

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.

Day 4 SUCCESS

Hang in there!

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