Everyday Systems

Okay, so I am admittedly a little discouraged already to try to start NoS again because I have consistently failed every time I've attempted any diet, including this one. Long story short, after a variety of types of abuse (including sexual and emotional) over the years, I've become a binge/compulsive eater. I thought I was doing better until the past month. I've gained almost thirty pounds in three months, the most I've weighed in almost three years. I know I need help and accountability, which is why I decided to start the thread. I hope this helps me to be consistent.

WELCOME BRIDE! ALL THE BEST TO YOU

Hi Bride...

Welcome! I can absolutely identify with those feelings of discouragement. I've dieted & failed so many times in my life that I could never count them. I'm convinced No S is different. I followed this plan successfully a few years ago & then started getting discouraged...I'm finally back to make this work.

Have you read the book? Sometimes going back to that & reading it again is really helpful.

Again...welcome...I hope to see you here often....Determined

Saturday and Sunday: S days

Monday: Sort of a failure? I was at an orientation that had cookies, and I ate one without even remembering I wasn't supposed to! Will have to try to remember . I don't feel badly about it, though.

Welcome Bride

It might help if you try and view NoS as something other than a diet - more like an 'eating style'.... after all, it's not something that you do until you lose a set amount of weight and then just go back to eating cake for breakfast every day! *edited to add* I'm not implying you would by the way, just that if I could get away with it, I would.... but that's not the point of NoS.

Tomorrow is a new day, good luck with it

Today: Success.

It's definitely been hard, especially after dinner. I want to keep on eating a few hours later, but I didn't today. Hope it gets easier!

Yesterday: Success! Wish we had a dancing emoticon.

It was definitely hard resisting those brownies, though. They are my weak place for sure.

Today marks my seventh day on the No-S diet! I can't believe it's been that long already! It helps that two of those days were S's .

Day 6: Success!
Day 7: Success!

It's still hard because it's been a pattern SO long, but I am seeing how much more enjoyable food is becoming to me because of this. I see it as the gift I should to be had in moderation, at certain times, for certain occasions, under certain circumstances. Weird how the adjustment can revolutionize so much about not just our thoughts, but our inner attitudes and perceptions of food and its intended purpose.

Well done on your success so far Bride, I know for a lot of people the importance of No S is the sanity it gives you in a better approach to food, more than a number on a scale. For me it's got to the point where I almost feel relieved after an S weekend, relieved to be back to N days and eating normally, what has become normal to me, again.

Congratulations on resisting the brownies, its these small triumphs which help remind us that we can do it, and of course you can still have brownies, on an S day

SkyKitty, exactly! Thanks for your encouragement

Day 8 (yesterday): Success!
Day 9-10 will be S days.

Day 11: Success

Awesome green happening here! I just found No S a couple months ago and already feel like a new person, not that I'm losing weight, but right now I'm enjoying the sanity of it all...

Keep on

Day 12 (8-23-11): For a friend's birthday party, I made this an S day. Kind of nice having 3 S days, but the sugar I ate just made me feel sick, actually.

NoSnacker wrote:Awesome green happening here! I just found No S a couple months ago and already feel like a new person, not that I'm losing weight, but right now I'm enjoying the sanity of it all...

Keep on

Thanks, NoSnacker! I haven't weighed myself recently to know if I've lost weight, but like you, I feel more sane! I feel some level of self-control, which is fantastic.

Day 13 (8-24-11) Success!

And my weight is about 139 now. Started around 145.

Wow this is great...you lost a good amount of weight for just starting..way to go...I'm still at a standstill but that is okay, not gaining ..

NoSnacker wrote:Wow this is great...you lost a good amount of weight for just starting..way to go...I'm still at a standstill but that is okay, not gaining ..

Haha, yeah, but I seem to fluctuate a lot!! I wonder sometimes if I need a new scale because it's so screwy.

Every time we use the toilet, our weight fluctuates.

Just sayin' ...

Who Me? wrote:Every time we use the toilet, our weight fluctuates.

Just sayin' ...

This is true, one day could be 2lbs more than the last...last time I got on I liked the number so now I'll stay off for a bit .

LOL!!!!

Day 14 (8-25-11): Success!

Yesterday was super hard. I wanted my Double Chocolate Chip from Starbucks. But I held out for the weekend

It's now been TWO WEEKS!! Thanks for the encouragement, everyone!

Bride,

This is really amazing, you say you were a binge eater and you are doing so well for 2 weeks. You inspire me. I'm just starting and I'm really liking it. Look at all your success, and keep it up!!

Love your verses too,
Patty

Sweetness wrote:Bride,

This is really amazing, you say you were a binge eater and you are doing so well for 2 weeks. You inspire me. I'm just starting and I'm really liking it. Look at all your success, and keep it up!!

Love your verses too,
Patty

Sweetness, it has been a lifelong battle, an enemy that lies and deceives but cannot make good on its promises. I praise God for helping me for the past two weeks! It is His love that motivates me to change.

I don't know how to do the quote thingy, but I just love what you wrote. HIS love motivates me too! You're doing awesome!

Day 15 (8-26-11): Success

It was a tough one! Friday nights are hard because that's when I wanna call it quits for sure! But I made it through.

Day 16 (8-27-11): S-day. I actually didn't take much advantage of my S-day. I felt like I ate pretty wisely. I did have some seconds, but they were small, even to the point of my family telling me I should eat more. And I had a Klondike bar. Never overate or felt too full. Was so great!

Bride wrote:I actually didn't take much advantage of my S-day. I felt like I ate pretty wisely. I did have some seconds, but they were small, even to the point of my family telling me I should eat more. And I had a Klondike bar. Never overate or felt too full. Was so great!

Wow now this is great and inspires me...I'm a binge eater and always starts if I have a snack...which I ended up doing yesterday.

Today I hope for a day like you had yesterday...

Day 17 (8-28-11): S-day

Had a few sweets, but limited myself because I knew they'd make me feel pretty sick.

Sounds like a wonderful S day weekend!!!!

Day 18 (8-29-11): Success!

All went well! Cooked dinner for others and wasn't tempted to eat during the prep stage, which has always been a challenge. It was worth the wait.

Enjoying the freedom.

Day 19 (8-30-11) Success

Day 20 (8-31-11) I was sick, so I didn't really do No-S. I wasn't hungry enough at one point of the day to actually eat meals, so I did more of a light snack here and there. Then, by dinner, I was hungry enough for a meal with birthday cake. I guess I could could consider it an "S-day". I feel kind of bad for eating as much sweets as I did on a day that wasn't supposed to be an S-day. I know I was sick, but still. Trying not to dwell on it. Not sure what to consider it-- a failure, a success, a non-day, whatever! Trying not to get caught up in labels!

Day 21 (9-1-11) Today marks my THREE WEEKS on NoS! Success! It has definitely become more natural now. The problem I have had for the past few days is having salads for meals. Usually, I am good eating a salad of greens, chicken, and some dressing, but on NoS, it is NOT working out. Anyone else had this problem? It doesn't fill me up enough, especially when it's my dinner. I need to rethink how to go about eating salads and really strive to make my meals "count." This is where I think I'm doing the worse and why it's sometimes harder to want to stick to the pattern.

Day 22 (9-2-11) Success

Day 23 (9-3-11) S-day. I made it past Friday this time! It was hard, but today was pretty good. Extra piece of pizza. Icecream. Mmm.

I am also posting my decision here in advance for the upcoming holiday weekend:
I am actually going to make tomorrow, Sunday, a non-S day because of my sick day earlier. I am also not going to make Monday, Labor Day, an S-day. So only one S-day this week, which was today. Got my fill of sugar, so I don't even think I'll want it the rest of the weekend. I'm sure by Thursday, though, I'll be feelin' it!

Bride wrote:Day 19 (8-30-11) Success

The problem I have had for the past few days is having salads for meals. Usually, I am good eating a salad of greens, chicken, and some dressing, but on NoS, it is NOT working out. Anyone else had this problem? It doesn't fill me up enough, especially when it's my dinner. I need to rethink how to go about eating salads and really strive to make my meals "count." This is where I think I'm doing the worse and why it's sometimes harder to want to stick to the pattern.

I usually eat my salads at lunch and dinner I have a good meal that will keep me satisfied. Salad digests too fast in my tummy.

Are the salads satisfying? If we force ourselves to eat healthy it can back fire...have some mashed potatoes and a nice steak....

After years of dieting, we tend to gravitate towards diet foods..

Just my assumption of course..Have something good for dinner!

Well done on a brilliant week!

I normally don't feel satisfied with just a salad, although I do love them - they just don't fill me up for long enough to get to my next meal without being overly hungry. I would usually have something with the salad, either a bread roll if I wanted carbs, or maybe a yoghurt and some extra fruit. Or I'd make sure there is a lot in the salad - a huge plateful of just green salad leaves just wouldn't fill me up, I'd need chicken and avocado and maybe egg as well as a bunch of different veggies!

Okay, I'm back! It's nice having a long weekend.

So, I totally FAILED to do either of the things I set out to do from my previous post for Day 24 and 25! I made both Sunday AND Monday S-days, which I guess technically, I was "allowed" to do, but it wasn't what I intended. Was discouraged for a day or two.

Days 26 (9-6-11), 27 (9-10-11), and 28 (9-8-11), however, have all been successes .

Bride

So, I totally FAILED to do either of the things I set out to do from my previous post for Day 24 and 25! I made both Sunday AND Monday S-days, which I guess technically, I was "allowed" to do, but it wasn't what I intended. Was discouraged for a day or two.

Hi, we really shouldn't be too hard on ourselves about the S days..

Discouragement is our worst enemy when trying to succeed...

I never intend for my weekends to be so crazy and some day they won't but WOW the weekdays are full of sanity and I love that...

Weekends I'm a work in progress..

You seem like me a perfectionist..because you switched up a day does not make you a failure..not at all.....girl, don't let those old diet thoughts creep in telling you that you failed..you did not..

Here's to better thoughts for you..cheer cheer...

I changed my scripture message below just for you and a reminder to myself..

Bride wrote:Okay, I'm back! It's nice having a long weekend.

So, I totally FAILED to do either of the things I set out to do from my previous post for Day 24 and 25! I made both Sunday AND Monday S-days, which I guess technically, I was "allowed" to do, but it wasn't what I intended. Was discouraged for a day or two.

Days 26 (9-6-11), 27 (9-10-11), and 28 (9-8-11), however, have all been successes .

Hang in there! No such thing as a failed S day! Yay for the greens!

NoSnacker wrote:Bride

So, I totally FAILED to do either of the things I set out to do from my previous post for Day 24 and 25! I made both Sunday AND Monday S-days, which I guess technically, I was "allowed" to do, but it wasn't what I intended. Was discouraged for a day or two.

Hi, we really shouldn't be too hard on ourselves about the S days..

Discouragement is our worst enemy when trying to succeed...

I never intend for my weekends to be so crazy and some day they won't but WOW the weekdays are full of sanity and I love that...

Weekends I'm a work in progress..

You seem like me a perfectionist..because you switched up a day does not make you a failure..not at all.....girl, don't let those old diet thoughts creep in telling you that you failed..you did not..

Here's to better thoughts for you..cheer cheer...

I changed my scripture message below just for you and a reminder to myself..

Thanks for all of the encouragement! That verse is so precious to me, too.

Had a pretty great weekend! Friday was the hardest, as usual, but I made it through.

Day 29 (9-9-11): Success
Day 30 (9-10-11): S-day
Day 31 (9-11-11): S-day

A month of No-S!!

Bride wrote:A month on No-S!!

How cool is that..a month on No-S and you are doing fabulous!!!!

Yes, we have to remember not to allow condemnation in our lives.

Let's bask in God's Grace!

NoSnacker wrote:

Bride wrote:A month of No-S!! :)

How cool is that..a month on No-S and you are doing fabulous!!!!

Yes, we have to remember not to allow condemnation in our lives.

Let's bask in God's Grace!

I just thought I would check on you and I agree you are doing wonderful!! I'm proud of you. Keep it up!!

Okay, guys, so I didn't update you once all week! But thankfully, I kept track of everything and I'm so excited to tell you about my week. Here's what happened:

Day 32 (9-12-11)- My first real failure! I came home rather emotional about some circumstances in my life, and I chose to resort to eating a (quite delicious) pumpkin muffin from Starbucks as an escape. This is a pattern from my old ways, and I was a bit discouraged to see it resurface, but SO encouraged that there is so much hope for me still! I didn't despair or plunge in to binging. So a failure, but not a defeat.

The rest of my week looked like this:

Day 33 (9-13-11)- Success
Day 34 (9-14-11)- Success
Day 35 (9-15-11)- Success
Day 36 (9-16-11)- Success

Yay!! Okay, but the part I am really excited to tell you about is actually my S-days. Here's what happened yesterday and today:

Day 38 (9-17-11)- S-day... that I didn't use!!! I ate absolutely normally on this S-day, not to make up for the failure on Monday, either! Just because that's what I felt like doing. I didn't want seconds or snacks. I didn't even want sweets. I just went to bed pretty satisfied with what I had eaten for the day. So cool!

Day 39 (9-18-11)- S-day... that made me sick!!! So, today, I ate rather normally. I skipped breakfast and had seconds for lunch. I had a normal dinner, too. We had company over, so we had some sweets-- chocolate cake-cookies and a lemon cake. I had one cookie and felt great! It was totally worth it. But then, I ate a second, and I didn't feel so great anymore. Partly out of duty and partly out of desire, I ate a small slice of the lemon cake and that put me over the edge! I could FEEL the sugar in my body, and it wasn't appealing at ALL! Normally, I could eat that way more than that amount of sweets and not feel too bad, but it made me feel absolutely gross. I think this is a good thing

Just stopping by, you are doing so well!! Keep that green streak going!
blessings,
Patty

Wow, guys, I have been gone for WAAAY too long! But don't worry; it's not because I fell off the bandwagon and went back to my old ways. Instead of showing you what each and every single day has looked like I'll make it one quick read:

Days 40-57 (9-19-11 to 10-6-11):

SUCCESS!!!

No, I'm NOT lying! It's been going SO well! It's like it was just meant to be this way! I don't feel odd anymore at all not eating between meals or reserving my sweets for the weekends. It just seems right. I'm almost up to three full months of No-S, and I am starting to see progress in my behaviors/desires (pushing away food on S-days) and in my weight. I am currently down to 135 or so. When I first started, my scale read 155, but my scale was definitely a little screwy, so if I had to guess, I was probably around 145-150 at the start. So, anywhere from 10-15 pounds lighter! Somehow! I don't know how!!!

The weight will now come off a lot more slowly since 135 was my normal weight BEFORE all of that gaining a few months ago. But let's give it a shot!

Gosh, it is great to hear your good news!

Good for you! keep it up!! I love hearing this!

Well! I've been gone for an entire month.

I went home for a visit last month, and it threw NoS out the window, and then I never got back on it.

I am going back home tomorrow, too, so I know I need to get back to the groove of things. Need accountability and some encouragement, so I'm back to posting! I know I do better when I post daily, so I'm aiming for that again.

Bride...

Nice to see you posting again...I do better when I'm here often too. Getting back on track is so hard...but you can do this!

Go for it!!!!

janie

You can do it!

Wow, picked a busy time to try to be posting regularly, but now I'm going to do it!!

Monday (Day Whatever): Success! It's good to be back. I had to eat four times instead of three, though, because I was so hungry!

Tuesday: Success! I was SO hungry all day, though. Being back on NoS has been good (sanity is returning), but my stomach's not yet used to only eating at meals. Probably be good by the end of the week.

And today... good so far

Wednesday, November 30: Success

Went well. I feel so much better.

Welcome back and good for you on three green days in a row!!

Wednesday was a Success.

Thursday was NOT. have no good excuse. Just wanted sweets. Sigh! It's hard starting over.

Friday: Success, despite a really emotional day, which is good because that's often a reason I drift into binging.

Saturday: First S-day back and oh my goodness, did I take advantage of it. Had way too many doughnuts, plus some ice cream, plus a hot chocolate. Doesn't even feel good. Hopefully will regulate and balance out a bit soon.

Giving myself grace because I know God does . Really want to keep going!

You are doing great, 4 out of 5 is success!!

Monday-Wednesday: Success!

Thursday: Took an S-day today for my Christmas party at work

Well, hello, all! It's been quite awhile. I'm going to start posting again here

So far, so good. Enjoyed my brownie today . Now back to N-days.

welcome back

All going well so far! Had a good weekend. Hoping for a good week, too.