Everyday Systems

Hi all! I have been a No S'er for about a year now--off and on. I tried it for a while but "diet-head" could not quite disappear during that time. Because I am always researching health topics, I was led astray many times. Finally in April of this year, I found My Fitness Pal.com and thought calorie counting would be my liberating experience (all the while I kept missing No S and thinking to myself...why did I stop? It was slow progress but it was the BEST progress as far as my relationship to food went). I lost 11 pounds on Myfitnesspal--all the while slowly losing my discipline in the areas of snacking and sweets (seconds are not my problem). Finally, after I went on my cruise, I had a terrible time getting back into the track of logging calories. It was SO nice on the cruise not to even worry about logging calories. Sure I overindulged on the cruise like a madwoman--which probably could have been prevented had I stuck to No S faithfully. Here comes August, 2011. I have maintained around 134-136 pounds for about the last month.

Conclusion? I hate counting calories after a while. At first, I like it because it gives me accountability, but after two months or so I get burnt out and feel deprived and stuff.

SO! Back to No S we go (I do fine with sticking to it once I beat my "diet-mentality). The only "mod" that I stick with pretty consistently is that I make Friday nights an S night and Saturdays an S day and Sunday nights an S night (so it equals out to two days when it is all said and done).

I am actually really happy with my body right now and am really focusing on eating the things that I love and exploring healthy foods while going to martial arts twice a week and biking M, W, F, and Sa.

Hopefully with No S, I'll be able to reach my goal of 120 pounds eventually, but it is more important to me that I create a healthy relationship to food again and break some of the bad habits I developed through counting calories.

)

Nice to "meet" you. Sounds like you've got a good plan, and are doing well.

I have gone biking the last two days (even though they were S days). I really really love biking and I also do martial arts, so I am a pretty active person. Hopefully this will give me a little lee-way while I get my S-days down to a steady rhythm of NOT going nuts. )

Who Me? wrote:Nice to "meet" you. Sounds like you've got a good plan, and are doing well.

Nice to meet you, too!

Welcome back...I'm glad I read your post, seems like the diet world calls to us often..but you came back and just like the rest of us no s'ers'' the sanity of life is back to normal...well except my crazy S days...

I like the idea of Friday and Sunday being your S day...sometimes I feel like Friday would work better for me to.

I would love to have one S day be an N day, but I need to wait until I've had enough of the freedom on weekends!

deb

Welcome back!

I was doing SO well for the first week and a half and then...major sinus infection hit and though I did not really do any Sick S days, I did not exercise while I was sick. As well, my TOM began on Monday of this week which meant...major sugar cravings ensued. Do any of you have that problem when "lady time" rolls around? Gosh...I was not really ashamed (as Diet Thinking would have me be) but I was disappointed to see 2 or 3 reds on my calendar just because I did not feed my willpower like I should.

I am determined to stick with No S for good this time and will not let a few reds get me down. I just wish I could get my cravings under control during certain times of the month...

As well, I don't know if it was being sick and having NO energy that finally amped up my appetite or what but I have been SO hungry this week. Majorly. Instead of filling up on healthy stuff, I of course feel off the wagon and ate junk. I know I will tame this. I have to keep trying.

Thank the LORD for His grace and mercy while I try to live this habit out!

Yes, I have cravings and stuff when that TOM rolls around! I want to eat everything or something! ALso I get really sensitive and more grouchy. I need to do some research on this, but Vitamin B6 is supposed to help.

Not me. Too uncomfortable to face food.

I do 98% of my bike riding on S-days. No time during the week, and NY commute is just too long to not use a car.

So...the holidays sort of threw a monkey-wrench into my No S plans. Like badly. I'm still not quite back on the wagon.

I am literally 1 tenth of a point from being in the overweight BMI category. Sure, some part of me is like...well, at least you're still in the normal range, but it is honestly so close, I think I need to SERIOUSLY adjust my No S with some modding.

With vanilla No S (or pretty darn close to it), I seem to maintain between 135 and 140. Several others have commented that they had to go a little bit more strict.

I may do the following and see what happens (starting December 1st.):

N days:

No dairy or starches until dinner-time
One vegetable//fruit AT LEAST at EVERY meal.

S days:

Dairy and starches acceptable
One sugary-treat an S-day. (pretty much two per weekend.)
Still try for one vegetable//fruit at least at every meal.

We'll try this and see how it goes. :-/ I would LOVE to get back well into the "normal" range!

As well--I need to do my martial arts like normal (1-2 times a week--usually 2, but sometimes things get too busy to go twice) and 2 other exercise sessions of at least thirty minutes during the week.

I don't want to come up with crazy rules for myself because that defeats the purpose of No S. It is supposed to be adaptable to life and something that can be part of the rhythm of the day and week. I'll try these changes and see what happens.

So...I am still at 145 lbs. It's been a long year. I'm glad that I have not gained, really, but I would still like to get down between 120 and 130. I now do both Hapkido and Taekwondo, as well as other workouts during the week. I am mixing No S with MFP (calorie counting) and I think I will be on track, now.

I will hopefully update a little more faithfully today. Honestly, MFP helps me to stay accountable to No S! LOL. So, hopefully my habitcal will be full of greens and yellows.

I'm so excited! Since combining No S with MFP (calorie counting//food journal) I have been doing super well. I have been in the green ALL week so far with No S, MFP, and Exercise (I do two types of martial arts, at home workout DVDs, and walking). I am on a great path. Haven't lost any weight yet, but that's alright. I'm making good habits and I'm really short with only about 20-25 pounds to lose, so I expect it will come off slowly.

WOW. I cannot believe I did it. Honestly, I have been super stressed out lately and my food choices definitely reflected that. My husband and I sat down and had a strategy session for me and decided that combining No S with MFP calorie counting//food journaling was the way to go. Results? I had ALL greens and yellows for the last 8 days! I am so excited! I know it doesn't seem like much for those of you who are extreme veterans of No S, but for me, it is a huge deal. As well, I not only log MFP and No S on my habitcal, but also exercise, and I have been in the green and yellow for all of those as well!

I am so excited. I have been really down on myself lately because of some choices I made in my career a while ago, but I am now getting the chance to pursue my dream job (full-time novelist and editor) in just 26 days! I am turning my life around not only in my career, but in my health. I could not be more excited. I am proud of myself for the first time in a while.

I'm going for the goal (for No S). I want all greens and yellows for as long as possible. I do Vanilla No S for the most part (I only have two "S" days a week), but I do choose between Friday and Saturday for my S days. This past weekend, it made more sense to have my S day on Friday, so Saturday was an N day instead of an S day.

I have no idea if I've lost weight yet, but the control I've gained over my binge snacking habit means a whole lot more than numbers on a scale.

I've almost completed two whole weeks of No S, MFP, Exercise habits! WOOHOO! I feel so accomplished and proud of myself. Again, no idea if I've lost weight or not (I don't own a scale), but I'm sure that even if it takes a while to kick in, developing the habits are most of the battle.

I've been trying to walk more and more and more. I love it, it's great for you, and it is very enjoyable. Today, while my fourth graders were playing out at recess, I walked the entire time while reading a Terry Pratchett book. Super amazing way to read.

I was trying to do crazy workout dvd's and such (and still do on occasion), but stuff like that doesn't last, whereas for years and years I've always loved going for a walk. It is relaxing while it is also a workout.

I have been in the greens and yellows for 12 days! WOOHOO! This includes No S, MFP (food journaling), and Exercise! I know it's not much, but it makes me feel so proud of myself. I haven't binged in 12 days! WOOHOO! I might try and weigh tonight to see if there's been any number progress, but it's alright if I haven't lost any weight. Not gaining is good, too!

Feeling sick today. This will definitely be an N day (if I eat at all.) There is a wicked stomach bug traveling around the elementary school where I work and I think I've caught it. I brought some crackers for lunch today and my customary activia yogurt for breakfast...we'll see if I eat it. I don't anticipate eating anything for dinner (since I have to attend a school picnic and they are serving hotdogs.) I might skip across to the Subway across the street and see if they have soup, but I'm not sure.

Yuck. I know that typically sick days are s-days, but there is no way I would snack or eat anything sweet today.

Still in the greens and yellows! So excited!

So, we are 6 hours into the day (half of what I have to stay at school for today...ick) and my stomach is doing much better. I have only eaten an activia yogurt and some goldfish and pretzels (my meager under 400 cal. lunch). For dinner, if my stomach is still doing better, I'll go get a sub sandwich on wheat with lots of veggies. Can't stomach hotdogs...Normally I love 'em, but after the stomach upset, I'm not chancing it.

Yeah, I have come down with something nasty (illness-wise.) I did not exercise Friday, because I was feeling so sick. My food//MFP stayed in green on Friday, but I went ahead and put down my exercise as a yellow- S day since I cannot fault myself for missing exercise when I'm running a fever and feel really sick. I still feel really yucky today. It started out sinus related about last Monday and got steadily worse--adding on stomach junk. Now the stomach stuff has gone back to normal, but the sinuses have worsened. Yuck. No fun. My fever has gone down, which is good, but I am taking it easy for my Saturday and Sunday S days. Not going crazy with food and resting a lot. Hopefully I'll be back up to par next week. I have my hapkido red belt test next Friday (the last colored belt before black in my martial arts!) SO EXCITED! Gotta be in tip top health to do great at my test! Got a long two days of rest ahead of me so that Monday, I can start training again.

Yep. Still sick. I came to work anyway, because I am missing three days soon to go on an anniversary getaway. I will not be training in hapkido tonight, because I still feel reallly, really crummy. I'll go tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday. My test is on Friday night. Scared. However, I know if I push myself and get sicker, I'll do poorly on my test. Gonna rest tonight. Exercise still in the yellow because I just have no extra energy. Food//MFP will be normal N days. Hopefully this nasty bug will get gone!

ARG. Being sick is the worst. I am finally starting to feel better, but I am just so darn exhausted. I went to hapkido last night and skipped taekwondo (to help conserve energy.) I'm going to hapkido again tonight and tomorrow (might add on taekwondo tomorrow, depending on how I feel.) My red-belt test is Friday...AHHHHH can't believe it. I hope I do alright. I've been so sick that I am just totally wiped out energy-wise. Still in the greens and yellows! WOO!

Checking in---

Yesterday, I woke up in tears. I slept horribly Wednesday night and when I got to school, my principal told me just to go home and sleep. I did. For several hours. It. Was. Awesome. I woke up feeling So much better! Today, I woke up feeling 98% well. It's a good thing, too, because my Hapkido red belt test is TONIGHT!!! (so nervous...) Still in the greens and yellows for all three categories on my habitcal! MFP (food logging//calorie counting//No S//and Exercise.)

So excited! Still going strong!

I made it through 21 days ALL in the green and yellow! NO REDS FOR APRIL!!! I did not log the first week of April, but I logged the rest of the month and had amazing success. I suppose I have probably lost weight, but I am only going by clothing (I don't own a scale.) I am so proud of myself. I have worked really hard and I now have an established habit and it is working REALLY well in all three categories!

WOOHOO! I am leaving for vacation in mere hours! WOOHOO! So. Here is my plan:

Wednesday: No S, MFP: GREEN // Exercise: YELLOW
Thursday: No S, MFP: GREEN // Exercise: YELLOW
Friday: No S, MFP, Exercise: GREEN
Saturday: No S, MFP: YELLOW // Exercise: GREEN
Sunday: No S, MFP: YELLOW // Exercise: GREEN

In other words, I will have normal FOOD S days, but modified exercise S days, because of travel and such.

I'll update you all to see how it goes. YAY! No reds so far in 25 days!

So, it was vacation. We spent all day for four days at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Disney World, and walked our LEGS off---so much so that our feet were throbbing at the end of every night. I don't feel one bit bad about my S vacation. It was terrific and I would honestly be shocked if I gained any weight. Like...that would be insane after all that walking.

So...I'll go back to normal tomorrow and still anticipate no Reds for May!

So, I got a red block yesterday. I got green on MFP and No S, but I honestly forgot to exercise yesterday. I remembered it sometime after dinner, but I was involved in something and told myself I'd do it before bed. Bedtime came and I fell asleep, LOL.

Oh well. One red is not the end of the world and as long as it is not in the food parts of my habit tracking, I'm not too upset about it.

I decided that since my exercise habits change so much from week to week (and that's alright), I just removed my exercise habitcal. It is more important to me (given that I am very active already) that I keep my eating under control. I get lots of exercise in each week since I am training for a black belt and spend a good bit of time walking.

So, still in the greens and yellows for almost two months with food (no S + MFP)!!!

I have been HORRIBLE this summer. Going back to Vanilla No S. NOW.

Had a great GREEN and yellow week! I took my S day on Friday night and Saturday night--Sunday is an N day. This works better into my schedule. Not quiet Vanilla No S, but it's a mod that still fits into the 2 S days per week, so works for the hubby and I. I have also been trying to move everyday. I am training for black belt right now, so I have lots of forms and techniques to practice at home outside of my regular classes. Also having sporadic dance parties during the workday (I work from home). I'll put on a song, get up and dance around for the duration of the song, then get back to work. A wonderful way to get some movement in when you are sitting at a desk most of the day.