gk's 2013 check-in

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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gk
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gk's 2013 check-in

Post by gk » Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:42 am

Hello all! New year - new check-in. :)

My year started off different than expected. Woke up on New Year's Day to the unfortunate realization that I had food poisoning - UGH. :( By the time I was totally over it I lost 9 lbs.!! Sicker than a dog - don't want to ever experience that again!

On the bright side, after the queasiness finally subsided I did enjoy feeling not so full and bloated - was on the light side for the first time in a long time and fitting into pants that I hadn't for quite some time now. Talk about a jumpstart to the ole' healthy eating plan, eh? :) I have been packing it away so much for the past month that I kinda forgot what it was like to eat sparingly - what a concept.

For a couple days now I've resumed eating all the crap that just days ago I couldn't stomach. And ya know what? I don't think I want to do this anymore. Think I'm ready to put down the chocolate and back away. :lol: The sluggishness is returning from too much sugar, and I've decided that I don't want to fall into the trap. Good golly molly, I'm finally ready to attempt this again!

Not sure what rules I plan to put into place, if any. Seems like if I make it too black and white I cave under the pressure. Sometimes "leaning" toward the rules works better.

Thought about trying the no sugar thing again, since some fellow No Ser's are having luck with that, but not quite sure I'm ready for that extreme yet.

Haven't exercised in a month and I HATE that. Between the busy holiday schedule, traveling, and then being sick I just couldn't make it in. This week isn't looking much better, so I guess I'll head back to my exercise classes on Monday. The fact that I can't wait for that is a good sign!

Hope everyone is doing well. :)

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Post by eschano » Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:36 am

Gk,
Happy start into 2013 :)
Your comments made me laugh, it's like in "The Devil Wears Prada" where Emily Blunt's character says she's only one stomach flu away from her goal weight :wink:
But now seriously, I think it is indeed a good start with all these insights attached to it.
Have fun with your exercise classes!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mulliganagain
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Post by mulliganagain » Tue Jan 08, 2013 7:37 pm

O no! Food poisoning. :shock: I'm glad you're feeling better!

Besides that unfortunate part :wink: , I loved reading your post. You're so focused, and that makes me feel so happy and so focused myself!

This is going to be a great 2013. :D
Sincerely,
Sarah H.

Starting BMI: 41.03/Current BMI: 33.53/Healthy BMI: 19-24

No S + Following "My Plate Guidelines"

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Post by mulliganagain » Tue Jan 08, 2013 7:38 pm

((unfortunate part about the food poisoning... not about feeling better. I realized after I posted that what I said could have come out wrong - lol! :wink: ))
Sincerely,
Sarah H.

Starting BMI: 41.03/Current BMI: 33.53/Healthy BMI: 19-24

No S + Following "My Plate Guidelines"

gk
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Post by gk » Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:38 pm

eschano wrote:Your comments made me laugh, it's like in "The Devil Wears Prada" where Emily Blunt's character says she's only one stomach flu away from her goal weight :wink:
Ha! It's funny you mentioned that, because after watching that movie years ago, now whenever I get the stomach flu or sick I think of that line!! :lol:

Thanks for stopping by. :)

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Post by gk » Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:39 pm

inswsn wrote:((unfortunate part about the food poisoning... not about feeling better. I realized after I posted that what I said could have come out wrong - lol! :wink: ))
No, I understood what you meant. :) Thanks for dropping by. :)

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Post by gk » Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:47 pm

Well, if I get a gold star for anything it would be consistency! I consistently ride the diet rollercoaster of feeling like "I'm really ready now!" and then suddenly the next day, when I think I'm ready to buckle down, my body says, "WHOA......I can't graze non-stop and eat sugar all the time now?!?!? DANGER, DANGER.....MUST.....EAT......NOW......." :lol:

Oh well. Like someone on these boards has said more than once (I believe it was Milliem?) trying to be better is better than not trying at all. Maybe if I just take one thing away at a time, there won't seem to be flashing neon arrows pointing to every "no, no" in my kitchen.

Needless to say, yesterday didn't go to well. Picture this......me sitting at my kitchen table, reading People Magazine's issue "Half Their Size", while munching on cheetos and chocolate. What? You can't lose weight if you just read about success stories and healthy food while eating junk food? OHHHH......No WONDER I haven't been losing weight!! Ha! :lol:

Ahh...try, try again. :wink:

Have a great day everyone. :)

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Post by gk » Mon Jan 14, 2013 3:42 am

Ok, so it's Sunday night and the new week is almost upon us. I've decided to exercise/do yoga on Tuesday and Thursday only until I can get these WAY overdue projects around the house done once and for all. Once I'm caught up a bit more, I'll increase my frequency back to five days/week.

DIET.......I seem to be stuck in the "what the hell" phase. Most of me is saying, "SO TIRED OF FIGHTING WITH THIS - WHO CARES". But there always seems to be a little piece of me that says, "I CARE. I need to figure this out, so I'm not spending the rest of my life in a constant cycle of bingeing, sugar-overloading and increasing pant size!"

I continue to "talk" with a fellow no-s'er who has been compliant with No sugar for two months and is LOVING it. It agrees with her and she sounds finally content with the whole food thing. I honestly don't know how she's doing it - makes me want to dive headfirst into a Hershey's kisses bag and never come up for air!

All I know is I've been around these boards how many years now? I could probably just cut and paste the previous years musings because I continue to say the same things over and over and over. I know, I know....less talking, more doing. Just get up and do something about it already, right?! Sounds simple - why the heck isn't it?!?!?

Ok - we'll see what tomorrow brings. My plan of action - don't have one. Can't seem to get out of this funk to even care much at the moment. I guess I'll just try to be good and see what happens.

Have a great week everyone.

mulliganagain
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Post by mulliganagain » Mon Jan 14, 2013 4:43 pm

It's okay if you keep saying the same things over and over -sometimes hearing something multiple times helps it to kick in! :) Keep talking and the doing will fall right into place!

Your mention of diving head first into a Hershey's kisses bag and never coming up for air made me giggle - I definitely could imagine doing something like that too! :wink:

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Post by milliem » Mon Jan 14, 2013 7:44 pm

gk wrote:
Oh well. Like someone on these boards has said more than once (I believe it was Milliem?) trying to be better is better than not trying at all. Maybe if I just take one thing away at a time, there won't seem to be flashing neon arrows pointing to every "no, no" in my kitchen.
I don't know if it was me that said that, but if it was I must have been having a rare wise moment :) I definitely think that trying and succeeding even some of the time is better than just giving up. I have to constantly remind myself of this as I mark another red day on the calendar, have a bingey S day or realise that my weight hasn't gone down at all for ages!

One thing I definitely noticed last year when I had a run of pretty good compliance was that I quite often felt hungry and wished I could eat some chocolate or a giant piece of cake. Then I thought 'well actually, maybe this is normal?? Maybe people who are naturally thin feel hunger and don't give in to every random craving... huh'. I guess what I'm saying is that for people who are overweight, we often have to train ourselves into a new way of eating, but it's ok! Eating less doesn't mean not eating, or not enjoying our food :)

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Post by gk » Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:55 pm

inswsn wrote:It's okay if you keep saying the same things over and over -sometimes hearing something multiple times helps it to kick in! :) Keep talking and the doing will fall right into place!

Your mention of diving head first into a Hershey's kisses bag and never coming up for air made me giggle - I definitely could imagine doing something like that too! :wink:
Thanks for your input - you're right....I seem to remember something about repetition being key to forming habits - how many times trying something does it take for it to stick? Well, I'm sure I'm WAY over the norm, but if I keep trying and telling myself that I can do this, than surely one day it will happen. :)

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Post by gk » Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:04 pm

milliem wrote:Then I thought 'well actually, maybe this is normal?? Maybe people who are naturally thin feel hunger and don't give in to every random craving... huh'. I guess what I'm saying is that for people who are overweight, we often have to train ourselves into a new way of eating, but it's ok! Eating less doesn't mean not eating, or not enjoying our food :)
I never have understood those who don't EMBRACE eating the way I do. :lol: It has always been my opinion that hunger is not a requirement for eating......hmmm......guess that's why I'm in such a pickle. :wink:

I love the way you never let this get you down. You are right...."eating less doesn't mean not eating or not enjoying our food". I swear my frustrations are 3/4 my problem. I need to remind myself often that this does not need to feel like climbing Mt. Everest. I'm making this WAY harder than it needs to be.

Thanks. :)

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Post by gk » Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:22 pm

I'm now attempting to slide into healthier habits all sneaky-like so my bad habits won't notice. :wink: For instance, I bought some veggies (been awhile!), but I plan to eat them with full-fat veggie dip.....to help me get used to eating veggies again.

My main meal at lunch will be a different type of salad each day, but I'll have half a chocolate protein shake to go with it, so my body doesn't go into shock from nibbling greens again for lunch.

Will eat whatever everyone else is having for supper, but will have the other half of the protein shake for "dessert", so I have that after-supper "sweet kick" I'm addicted to.

Bought yogart and sliced almonds for an afternoon snack. Also have honey sunflower seeds, vanilla granola, etc. for healthier munching. I figure the occasional snack on healthier choices is better than reaching into the chocolate drawer every half hour.

I actually bought groceries today without piling things into the cart for bingeing later (a weekend "high" of mine). DIDN'T buy any more candy or junk food. Had a much healthier attitude while shopping.

Will try this for awhile - no S Days....just a snack and "healthy" sweet (chocolate protein shake) snuck in here and there all week, so I don't build up to bingeing on the weekend. No Fails or Successes marked. Just sticking my toes in the water and testing things out slowly now, as diving in seems to have an adverse reaction for me.

Oh....and I went through my closet and gave away a TON of clothes to Goodwill. You know....the clothes that I will "someday fit into". Oddly, it didn't feel like I was giving up by doing that. It just felt good that I was letting go of a certain weight of the past and focusing on today. And hey.....if I happen to lose weight in the future, I figure all that hard work deserves a new wardrobe anyway! :)

Enjoy your S-filled weekend everyone. :)

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Post by No BS » Sat Jan 19, 2013 2:02 am

Had to stop by & say "hi", gk. Getting to know my neighbours.

Closet cleaning binges are way more gratifying than food binges!!! Good on you for letting everything out of the closet!! LOL!

If you love your "sweets", think about redefining "sugar" & "chocolate" into raw, unprocessed, healthy versions that your body can recognize & handle ie: honey, maple syrup, molasses, palm sugar, cacao nibs and cacao beans.

Instead of that suburban heroin, aka "white sugar" and its faux-chocolate pal full of chemicals & additives which can spike blood sugar & induce out-of-control cravings for even more "suburban heroin". To the point that soon enough you are in the chocolate aisle of the grocery store, jonesing for a fix, hovering maniacally over bulk packs of coffee crisp (like a lioness on her kill!) & mindlessly fondling bags of "not-so-healthy" snacks like chocolate covered almonds & chocolate covered raisins!!! LOL!!

Check it out online. Do some research. There is physiological room for healthy raw versions of unprocessed chocolate & sugar that don't mess up body & soul. We deserve the best & we should care!!

Good on you, gk, seeking & sneaking your way to healthier habits!!
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by gk » Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:22 am

No BS - You make an interesting point about the whole raw, unprocessed, healthy versions of sweets. Will have to check that out!

Suburban heroin (ha!)....mindlessly fondingly bags of chocolate (ha!)....You crack me up!!! :lol: You know, I've always said I feel like a drug addict when it comes to chocolate!

Hey, thanks for stopping by! After reading just a few of your posts, they have put a smile on my face and make me feel so much more light-hearted when it comes to the drudgery of dieting. Nice to have you around the neighborhood! :)

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Post by milliem » Sat Jan 19, 2013 3:37 pm

Hey gk, thanks for your kind comments on my thread and here! I guess I have a pretty relaxed attitude to most things in life, that's not always been a good thing when it comes to my eating and weight though as I just think 'aaaah what's the big deal that chocolate bar won't hurt!' :) Like you I've always EMBRACED eating - I love food. I love cooking, finding and trying new recipes, eating out in nice restaurants... yum! For me NoS fits perfectly as it's 5 days of moderate restriction followed by 2 days to relax and treat myself to the things I love. Slowly slowly I'm getting better at the N days and less out-of-control on the S days.

I definitely hear you on the sneaky vegetables too! Make sure you get enough proteins, carbs and fats to keep you going alongside those nutritious veggies :)

Beware of this though:
Bought yogart and sliced almonds for an afternoon snack. Also have honey sunflower seeds, vanilla granola, etc. for healthier munching. I figure the occasional snack on healthier choices is better than reaching into the chocolate drawer every half hour.
I know you are easing back into it, but make sure if you have a snack you portion it out before you start eating. Take a look at the suggested serving size, that might help. Some healthier snacks, while not having as many bad-for-you ingredients in them can still be surprisingly calorific!

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"sweets, sugar and chocolate"

Post by No BS » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:07 pm

When you choose "sweets, sugar and chocolate" as the healthy raw options they are, rather than the factory produced toxic industrial "franken-food" we've "improved" them into, really neat things start to happen.

Not just psychologically but also physically, in your body.

Here is a rich, gratifying, chocolatey BREAKFAST (for pete's sake!!) that I often have (with my modifications). Daily!! I didn't create it. Here is a link to the website that did:
http://pickyeaterblog.com/chocolate-brownie-oatmeal/

When you can routinely nourish yourself with healthy foods it is not a hardship being mindful of what you eat, it becomes a pleasure instead.

We are lucky to have access to the Internet. There are millions of intelligent real raw food choices out there that allow you to not only feed your body, but your heart and your soul. We just have to think outside the box and stop buying & ingesting industrialized "food products".
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by gk » Wed Jan 23, 2013 1:53 am

milliem: Yes, I do need to be mindful of quantity when it comes to healthy snacks. For instance.......eating a whole package of "diet" cookies does NOT equal a few fattening cookies. Ha! :lol:

No BS: Thanks for the recipe - I'll have to give that a try! My body has been so bombarded with sugary crap the past 25 years that it probably would do me quite a bit of good to go for the healthier raw options! :) Consider it my "nicotine patch".....my body thinks its getting the gooey sugar it craves but it's actually not. Boy, won't it be p'o'ed when it realizes I've tricked it into being healthy! :wink:

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Post by gk » Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:12 am

Good points of today:

1. I've been out of the practice of going to exercise class for over a month now, so I was feeling lazy and did not want to get out in the cold and put forth the effort. After reading "Shape Magazine" during breakfast (purposefully, hoping it would get me in the mood), I literally FORCED myself to do it . Ya know what? The minute I stepped into class I felt better - before I even started exercising! Enjoyed it thoroughly and am back in the swing of things again. Why, oh why, did I even take a break? Lesson learned - will work my schedule around it from now on, no matter HOW busy I get - even 1-2 days per week is better than nothing at all.

2. I ate a salad! The first one in months! It was delicious!! It's called "Crunch Time" - a recipe I found in one of my many ridiculous diet books (The "Ab Diet" this time) that I remembered, so decided to fix it again. It's a salad that has apples, carrots, pecans, cranberries, and turkey. Yum!

3. Completed more "cleansing tasks" today - getting rid of older items that are cluttering up the place. A couple more closets and then I'll call Salvation Army and have them take it all away - won't THAT be a wonderful day.


Bad Points of Today: (You knew there had to be some)

1. After my salad, even though it was very delicious, I had my small chocolate taste......and then another.....and then another.....and then somehow (I don't even feel like I was present for half of it), I ended up in a binge. What the heck? It's like my body was saying - "Are you KIDDING ME? A salad? Where's all the articifial crap I'm used to? Is this a sick joke or something??"

2. Somehow, the binge stopped but I pretty much found chocolate in my mouth occasionally all afternoon. :oops: Lovely. How attractive.


The bad points pretty much x'ed out the good points and THEN SOME, but weirdly I'm in a good mood. Ya know what? I went to exercise class when I REALLY did NOT want to, and I actually ate something healthy for lunch, better than I've had in a very LONG time.....so let's just say I did the one step forward, two steps back thing today and leave it at that. :wink: At least I'm moving in the right direction and tomorrow, I'll probably be just a little bit better at curbing the bad habits and building on the good habits.

Onward and upward. :wink:

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Post by gk » Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:13 pm

Oh dear....moving onward, but not quite upward. Seems like the more I want to be good, the more difficulty I seem to be having with snacking (on candy!).

I'm not buying any more treats to keep in the house, so once this supply is gone I'm sure I'll go into some kind of shock. :roll:

I've re-read about the effects of the simplicity of this diet, but apparently my body doesn't want to listen to that right now.

It's like I'm on a fast moving train and can't slow down. Yikes. :oops:

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Post by No BS » Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:03 pm

gk, we have all been there & commiserate.

I couldn't control myself or my appetite until I got rid of refined sugars, flour and industrial food products. Those triggers spiked my blood sugar like crazy & had me howling like some demented engorged wolf for MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE.

The hardest thing for me was taking the time & patience to listen to my body & to educate myself so I could systematically get rid of all the crap that was polluting me.

To me it is sad that we can spend hundreds of hours figuring out how to use a computer, a smart phone, or to play a video game for optimal performance and enjoyment. We don't sabotage our smart phones, do we, and expect them to function well. But when it comes to our bodies we just sometimes throw crap into us and wonder why we struggle with obesity or ill health or why we feel like shit all the time, mentally & physically.

If we treat our bodies like the irreplaceable complex sophisticated & responsive organisms they are, and fine tune and operate them with the care & respect they deserve, it becomes infinitely easier. Very quickly it becomes easier.

Peace, gk. :wink: Tomorrow is another day.....
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by Amy3010 » Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:39 am

I can relate - I too have been having a tough time getting back on track. Hang in there!

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Post by milliem » Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:51 pm

Maybe you could try not seeing it as 'good' or 'bad' behaviour, just looking at days when you are on track, and days when you aren't... take the negative emotions out of it! I like to see it as being an observer of my own behaviour :) Of course I want to make an effort to meet the goals I've set myself, but I'm just recording what happens each day rather than beating myself up about it... if that makes sense!

Anyway, take a breath! YOU are in charge of your body and your decisions, you just need to give yourself a bit of time to think them through and get used to making different decisions about food. Keep at it! :)

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Post by gk » Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:43 pm

No BS, Amy and Milliem: Thank you so much for your input and support. Helps me a ton and gets me back on track! :)

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Post by gk » Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:55 pm

It's Sunday night, a new week is near. My dieting approach has become somewhat of a "flavor of the week" thing - which way will I approach it this week? :roll:

Well, each week I find a reason why last week was all wrong. Well, my line of thinking now is that I THINK TOO MUCH! Analyzing the crap out of this is only wasting my time and making this a bigger deal than it needs to be. Sometimes it is best to just think of things in terms of "black and white" and block out all the bothersome "static".

Also, I got to thinking (last time I'll analyze this, I promise :-)), whenever something is working really well, why change it, right? Well, the longest I can remember sticking to this with no problem is my first try two years ago. SO....even though last week I just got done saying that going cold turkey gives me an adverse reaction, I think I will attempt what has worked best for me....No S with only one mod (4:00 light snack) and resume having S Days (starting Friday nights for now). I may have binged that way, but I guess I'd rather binge on the weekends than all week long.

Also, I was reminded by others' posts that the key to me sticking to it long ago were my "jenga-like" plates. They were big, but I did SO much better waiting till my next meal. Will remember that as I make my meals.

I'll give it a go, but this time I won't beat myself up if I crack a little. I'll just keep to the art of distraction and hopping back on when I fudge a little. I will also remind myself not to get worked up about this. This is not meant to be an awful thing to endure.....this is the road to a better place with a few bumps in the road here and there, that's all. :wink:

Have a great week everyone. 8)

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Post by gk » Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:08 pm

Woke up with renewed determination...Thought I'd lay out my guidelines here.....

* Fired up the ole' habit cal - I think tracking it will be helpful again. If I see alot of red, I will just remind myself that it's just part of the journey back to healthier eating and take it in stride.

* Setting a mere 2 glasses of water per day minimum to start (I'm a camel - this will be hard for me.)

* Plan of exercise this week will be yoga Tuesday and Thursday. Next week will resume 5 days/week (yoga T/W/TH and step class M/F).

* Three full meals a day with 1 very light snack at 4:00. S Days will start Friday night for now.

* If an S occasion comes up now and then (special dinner out with Mom, fun day out with kids, etc.), I will treat them as an S EVENT this time around, and not blow the whole day as an S day and binge all day. Think this will help me feel like I get to have fun on occasions like that without feeling guilty that I'm going off of my diet too much.


I weighed myself this morning, which I haven't done for ages. Surprisingly, I'm still at my usual "heavy" weight and not more (168 lbs.)! Didn't weigh so I could work myself down to some magical weight. Just wanted it as a reference point, I guess. Plan to weigh only once a month. My goal weight will be whatever makes me feel and look good - that's enough for me. :)

Oh, one more thing, I have done all of this quietly this time around, which is very unusual for me. Usually, once I decide to take on a diet, I announce it to the family and talk about it ALOT. Taking the focus off this time.

Starting my day with a skip in my step.....off I go to tackle my to-do list. :)

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Post by gk » Tue Jan 29, 2013 3:13 am

MONDAY - SUCCESS

WOO HOO!!! I can't believe it! I haven't had a green day in EONS. This feels great! Had some wavering at times throughout the day, but I referred to some tricks to get me through and it worked.

YES! :D
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by Amy3010 » Tue Jan 29, 2013 8:27 am

Good for you! :mrgreen:
It sounds like you made some good decisions for yourself on Sunday and are getting back on track. Here's to an excellent week - and enjoy your yoga class today!

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Post by milliem » Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:43 pm

Fab job on the green Monday gk!! You're last few posts have sounded so positive and reasonable, I'm impressed :) Print them out and don't forget them!

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Post by gk » Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:05 am

THANKS to milliem and amy: Came close to caving earlier this afternoon, but didn't after logging on and seeing your posts on my thread. It was all I needed to get back on track. Thanks! :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

gk
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Post by gk » Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:24 am

TUESDAY: Day - Success; Evening - S Event (my anniversary)

I would have really kicked myself if I gave in earlier this afternoon, when my S event was just hours away, so I'm SO glad I didn't! :)

It was tougher today - the rain and gloomy weather probably didn't help. I was also feeling very sluggish. My body is probably going into shock from lack of sugar. :P

Good timing that my anniversary was on the second day of my "return". :wink: Will make this first week seem less long. I can tell already that I'm gonna like having these S events instead of a full S day for special occasions. Feels like I'm more in control somehow.

Body Flow class (tai chi/yoga/pilates mix) was awesome - always is. Gotta love it. :)

Will try to get more sleep. Apparently, 7 hours isn't enough anymore. I think if I try to get 8 hours it will help with those cravings in the afternoon. (The odds of me actually getting to bed that early? Ummm......maybe if I try to do it at least half the time.....)

Guess that means I better get going. Later. :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by Amy3010 » Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:05 am

Glad I could help you stay strong!!! :mrgreen:
And congratulations on your anniversary!
Hope today goes well...you're on a roll, keep it up!

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Post by No BS » Thu Jan 31, 2013 12:12 am

Happy Anniversary, gk!!! And kudos to you for having the courage & stamina for delayed gratification! It really is worth it, isn't it. :wink:

I give you a tremendous amount of credit for staying the course for the day and making the EVENT in the evening more SPECIAL!! In my books that is extremely clever & committed planning that will see you in such good stead to achieve your goals.

Thanks so much for your hilarious comment on my thread! You just made my day - a rather tough, long, demanding day lightened immensely by your wonderful humour!

I hope the rest of your terrific week is as GREEN & focused on you & your continued success!
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by gk » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:11 pm

Thanks so much Amy! :-)

And, No BS, thanks to you, too! Glad I could give you a laugh the other day. :) I must say you have done the same for me many times. Love your sense of humor and really enjoy your posts! :) I really do think having a light-hearted approach to all of this helps tons.

Speaking of which...........I actually got another SUCCESS on Wednesday!! I can't believe I'm actually sticking to it this time!!! I did have a time or two yesterday that those old thoughts started creeping in, but I brushed them aside and reminded myself how good I would feel if I just distracted myself with something else. My supper plate was actually normal, too! (Not jenga style :wink:)

Each morning I wake up feeling better and better. Almost makes me afraid to take an S weekend - not sure if I can climb back on the wagon on Monday. BUT - I am NOT going to analyze this (SEE how much I've grown?? :P). I'll just stick to the rules and go on about my day.

Have a great day everyone! 8)
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CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by milliem » Thu Jan 31, 2013 5:07 pm

Nice work gk, three green days in a row! Remember to come back to this week when you wobble or feel less motivated, you know you CAN do it and sticking to NoS rules for a day isn't impossible :)

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Post by gk » Fri Feb 01, 2013 2:55 am

Milliem: Thanks! Yes, I think I will remind myself to review this week when I am struggling - good idea! :)

Well, I'm here to report yet ANOTHER GREEN!!! Dare I say, today was effortless?!?!?. :shock: I am having major de'ja'vu' of my first month with No S. I just feel like I'm in the groove and coasting through it now. With full meals, instead of "diet meals", I have had NO urge to snack today. My supper was once again a normal-sized meal and I was content when I was finished. I have a little time to myself now and instead of thinking about chocolate, I'm thinking about settling down with a nice book or maybe one of my favorite shows. I'm not focused on food and I'M LOVING IT.

As I got groceries today, I didn't throw every sweet I laid my eyes on into the cart in anticipation of a "bingy", S-filled weekend. I asked myself, "What nice treat am I craving for this weekend?? After some thought, I decided some chocolate pie might be nice, so I bought the ingredients for that. I don't plan to restrict myself on S Days yet, but I've decided to eat when I want to, not because I only have 48 hours to cram it all in. Big difference!!!

Okay, I've got one more day this week. It WILL be green!!! :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
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Post by Over43 » Fri Feb 01, 2013 3:01 am

Nice!

The full meals are nice aren't they? One of the keys, I think, is to give up anything diet, and just eat the three plates of food a day. Trust "The Way."
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
You pale in comparison to Fox Mulder. - The Smoking Man

I made myself be hungry, then I would get hungrier. - Frank Zane Mr. Olympia '77, '78, '79

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Post by Amy3010 » Fri Feb 01, 2013 9:33 am

You have been doing so well - good for you!
I know you will finish the week out on a positive, GREEN, note, today!

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Post by No BS » Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:57 pm

gk YOU GO GIRL!! Congratulations! You are doing so well. :D

Ok: it's like driving a finely tuned sports car. You check the tires, check the oil, put in premium fuel, and just relax, drive & enjoy the trip - fully confident that not only are you having fun but you will arrive at your destination safely!!

I'm really thrilled for you. It is so so important to savor all of these moments. Their clarity will keep us focused & on task at other times when we are stressed & all hell is breaking loose.

I hope you have a well planned & immensely gratifying weekend!! :wink:
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by HoeHanna » Fri Feb 01, 2013 11:27 pm

gk, regarding your post on amy's check in.... I was walking 4-5 miles every morning 2 years ago when my feet, ankles and hip started hurting so much, I went to an orthopedic doc, he x-rayed and found nothing so I cut back but still couldn't get it to feel right, so I quit all together for 3 months and when I started back, the pain came back. So I got out my old step 6" high and tried that, and it didn't hurt, I don't know why, but oh well, this is easier anyway, no cold mornings, no bugs in summer, no certain time I have to hit it anymore, just anytime of day the mood hits me.
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Post by gk » Sat Feb 02, 2013 2:52 am

HoeHanna wrote:gk, regarding your post on amy's check in.... I was walking 4-5 miles every morning 2 years ago when my feet, ankles and hip started hurting so much, I went to an orthopedic doc, he x-rayed and found nothing so I cut back but still couldn't get it to feel right, so I quit all together for 3 months and when I started back, the pain came back. So I got out my old step 6" high and tried that, and it didn't hurt, I don't know why, but oh well, this is easier anyway, no cold mornings, no bugs in summer, no certain time I have to hit it anymore, just anytime of day the mood hits me.
Wow, isn't that bizarre? Don't you find that so weird? I mean, I would think the stepping up and down would be way more impact than gentle walking, don't you? I do know what started my pain though - car accident over 20 years ago messed up my hip and the plantar fasciitis in my feet showed up last year, which others in my family have as well, so must run in the family? Anyway, I'm just glad we found something that we can do instead! Thanks for your post! :)
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Post by gk » Sat Feb 02, 2013 2:54 am

No BS wrote: Ok: it's like driving a finely tuned sports car. You check the tires, check the oil, put in premium fuel, and just relax, drive & enjoy the trip - fully confident that not only are you having fun but you will arrive at your destination safely!!
Love it, love it, love it!! :D All we have to do is follow the 3 No S rules and it will take care of everything for us. So simple! :)
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Post by gk » Sat Feb 02, 2013 2:56 am

Amy3010 wrote:You have been doing so well - good for you!
I know you will finish the week out on a positive, GREEN, note, today!
Thanks Amy. Those words echoed back to me as I was struggling a bit today and helped me on through! :)
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Post by gk » Sat Feb 02, 2013 3:07 am

HOLY GUACAMOLE - I made it through a whole week! :shock: 5 consecutive SUCCESSES!!!!!! :shock: Yay!! I CAN still do this!!! :D :D 8)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
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Post by Over43 » Sat Feb 02, 2013 4:15 am

We need "likes" on this forum.
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
You pale in comparison to Fox Mulder. - The Smoking Man

I made myself be hungry, then I would get hungrier. - Frank Zane Mr. Olympia '77, '78, '79

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Post by Amy3010 » Sat Feb 02, 2013 9:45 am

Woo hoo! Way to go! :mrgreen:
This is a great end to January and a great start to Feb.!
Enjoy your weekend!

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Post by gk » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:34 am

This weekend has been........weird. It's like my body is saying "EAT!!! THIS IS THE TIME!!!!" And my brain is saying, "Nah, don't really want to." Usually I don't get to this state until a few weeks into regular N Days. NICE!!!! 8)

I have had some treats today and a snack here and there, but I would call it extras to a normal N Day versus a full-out S day of grazing and treats.

I wonder what Sunday will bring......

You just wait - I'll probably be found somewhere in a corner late Sunday night, with chocolate all around my mouth, anxiously dreading the return of Monday morning. :shock: :lol:
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Post by Amy3010 » Sun Feb 03, 2013 11:47 am

That's a great Saturday - and I bet you won't end up in that corner on Sunday - you've been doing so well. :D

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Post by No BS » Sun Feb 03, 2013 5:10 pm

Oh gk, you are doing absolutely fabulous!! Your body & your mind are learning how to work in synch, in harmony, without "fear" of food.

If you do find yourself in a corner munching chocolate, just make sure it is premium extra dark chocolate over 70% and wash it down with a good glass of red wine. That stuff is so high grade & so gratifying you won't be able to scarf down a truckload!! And I suspect a comfortable chair looking out the window might be more comfortable than in the corner!!

Have FUN!! :D
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by gk » Mon Feb 04, 2013 2:09 pm

Well, by the end of the weekend, I was actually eating out of the pie pan. YIKES!!! :shock: :)

NOTE TO SELF: Do not make another pie that in all likelihood you will be the only one eating it. :roll:

But, I tell myself that it is impossible to fail on an S Day, so I will just marvel at how I could eat an ENTIRE PIE in TWO DAYS :shock: and move on. :roll: :)

I'm actually looking forward to five days of no sugar and simply following his three simple No S rules. Gotta love it.

Off I go to step class. Haven't been to step for 2 months. Hope my foot holds out!!

Have a great week everyone! :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by Amy3010 » Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:52 pm

The body is an amazing thing, isn't it - :lol: !
Hope step class went well!

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Post by gk » Tue Feb 05, 2013 2:13 pm

Well, Monday was a Fail for diet. But I reigned it in....held off in the afternoon, ended up having a cup of ice cream and a couple handfuls of chocolate chips later. Could have fired up a binge, as the WTH effect started to take over, but I didn't. So, I guess you could call the day red with a green glow to it. :wink:

As today is starting, it's not lookin good. For some reason, I'm in a "funk" and can't quite get that energy and excitement I had last week. I'm already thinking about throwing in the towel and it's 8 a.m.!!! Maybe I'm going through the "one step forward and two steps back phase", and this week is the two steps back. We'll see how it goes.

Oh, and I went to step yesterday. Was fun, but my foot didn't seem to agree. Not even sure I want to go to yoga. We'll see.

Later, all.
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CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by mulliganagain » Tue Feb 05, 2013 6:14 pm

I'm sending you lots of positive energy to stay strong.. can you feel it? :D Some weeks have that funk, but hey - red with a green glow is better than no green at all! :wink: Just keep doing what you can and each day you'll do more and more and more. :)
Sincerely,
Sarah H.

Starting BMI: 41.03/Current BMI: 33.53/Healthy BMI: 19-24

No S + Following "My Plate Guidelines"

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Post by Amy3010 » Tue Feb 05, 2013 7:11 pm

Sounds like you and I are having the same kind of problems - but I like the idea of a red day with a glow of green - ha ha! There certainly are degress of red, aren't there? As long as we keep ourselves to the green side of red (does that even make any sense???), it's an improvement, right?

Hang in there...I understand the feeling of discouragement. I just told myself this morning when I felt like giving up to just keep moving forward. Because what is the alternative?

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Post by milliem » Wed Feb 06, 2013 10:04 pm

Hows it going gk? Hope you got the 'two steps back' mindset out of your head, that's no way to focus on your goals! Remember each day is a fresh start :)

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Post by gk » Sun Feb 10, 2013 4:39 am

Checking in after a week of RED - no glow of green this time, I'm afraid!

Get this ---

I'm watchin this t.v. show and one of the main characters is a recovering alcoholic. He hasn't touched the stuff in a few years, but is totally fine. Long story short, he ends up having a taste and ends up having a major setback....has to go to rehab. Gets out of rehab....does okay for a awhile, but gets into a situation where he has another sip, and that's all it takes for him to dive back into the alcohol again. No control whatsoever - it's like all sense goes out the window when he's around it, and one taste turns into very excessive amounts every time. At the end of this show, it hits me......replace the whiskey bottle in that guy's hand with a handful of chocolate/sweets and that's me!! :shock:

I honestly think if I hadn't taken an S weekend after my green streak, I would still be flyin through green days. Once I have that taste it's no turning back for me.

Makes me think that I should just give up the stuff for good, ya know? I mean, I obviously have no control with sweets. It's like telling a drug addict they can have drugs on the weekend but be good all week. NOPE - not gonna work!

Brings me back to one of our fellow No Ser's who is STILL off sugar and having no problems (since November, I believe!).

I know they say taking something away for good is unrealistic and unattainable, but if I have THIS much difficulty with it, maybe I should give it a real go?!?!

Whatcha think?
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Post by Amy3010 » Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:23 am

First off, thanks for your support on my thread!

I understand what you are talking about in your post above... It seems like there are some foods that are extrememly addictive and as long as you stay away from them, you are okay. But start eating them again, and - boom!

I am very reluctant to tell myself any foods are completely off limits (I am allergic to this after years of dieting!) but I think if there is a food that is really causing me a problem, I might consider not having it in the house.

In fact I was at the store yesterday, going down the cookie aisle and glanced at the Digestives...and in my mind went, "Nope, not buying those because I know I will inhale the entire box and that's not really in the spirit of not being an idiot on S-days". So I purchased what I usually purchase in that aisle, cookies for my kids that don't have that pull on me and I can stay away from with no problem.

Just my two cents, hope it helps so you can figure this out!

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Post by milliem » Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:42 am

gk wrote:
I honestly think if I hadn't taken an S weekend after my green streak, I would still be flyin through green days. Once I have that taste it's no turning back for me.

Whatcha think?
I'm not going to pretend that I have the same issues with food but I've seen how tough it is for you. There have been people on this board who have experimented with cutting out of sugar altogether for a while, although I'm not sure how it went in the long term! Ultimately it's your life and your eating, so if you want to experiment with cutting out sweet things or sugar completely then go for it.

It would probably be useful to think about how long term that would be. I remember reading a blog post written by someone who had lost a lot of weight, and they had cut out pretty much all sweet things to do it. After they lost the weight, they experimented with reintroducing chocolate, sweets, sugar etc. She ate a chocolate bar every day, getting back used to allowing herself things, and eventually could eat sweets in moderation. It occurs to me that NoS kind of 'skips to the end' in terms of starting with moderation. Or at least that's the intention! S days aren't so easy to moderate for everyone :)

What I would say is - last week you had a green Monday. That shows that having S days on a weekend doesn't have to lead to a binge. You can turn back and you can be in control, remember that!

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Post by No BS » Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:07 pm

Hi Gk:

I read with consternation :( your spectacular crash and burn & hope that you are able to recover, heal, and learn from it. It reminds me of my granny’s maxim: Anything worth doing is worth doing well! :)

If some foods are like an addictive drug to you – cut them out, like the toxic crap they are to your system. If some foods sing siren songs of excess to you, lock them out of the house so they don’t lure you into crashing your health & diet & life upon them.

You are exactly correct In thinking of yourself as a recovering addict. Just because some people can handle (pick one: whisky, marijuana, sugar, bread .......) doesn’t mean everyone can.

Recognize you are in control and you are making the choices here. Either your addiction will choose for you, or you will choose beyond your addiction. The choice is, and always will be, yours.

I learned the difficult way that I cannot safely use/eat white sugar or white flour. I turn into a ravenous insatiable idiot :oops: craving crap foods whenever I eat those two items. I use all sorts of foods as substitutes for processed sugar and flour that do not seem to have the same effect upon me. On the other hand, I love a good scotch & do ok with liquor. C’est la vie.

And, my dear, I can inhale an entire pie (white flour, white sugar) in less than 20 minutes and then spend a week trying to overcome the toxic impact of that processed food crashing the delicate systems within my body. Which is exactly why I don’t make pie in my house unless I am having dinner guests who will be kind enough to eat it all or take the leftover pie home with them!

Chin up - life isn't always easy but it is always ours & will bend to what we make it!! :wink:
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by mulliganagain » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:51 pm

I am definitely feeling you with the addict-type behavior when it comes to food! I've heard peope say "it's hard being addicted to food... I mean, you still have to eat!" But you're right - just because you have to eat doesn't mean you can't cut out what gives you problems, such as sugar. Let's be honest - none of us have ever od'd on broccoli, I'll bet. If you decide to give it a go, please let us know how it goes! Even if you decide to bring the sugar back into your life, maybe you'll figure out particular triggers to stay away from, and that could be helpful for you too!
Sincerely,
Sarah H.

Starting BMI: 41.03/Current BMI: 33.53/Healthy BMI: 19-24

No S + Following "My Plate Guidelines"

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Post by gk » Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:39 am

Thanks so much everyone for your advice and comments - really appreciate it! :D

Well, I think I'm gonna do it - cut out sugar, aka crap foods. I think the final push for me to start was something I noticed this past week..........I realized I've gotten into the habit of wearing a light jacket all the time when I go out (even when I'm inside), so everyone won't see how I've gained weight in my stomach. I guess I'm more uncomfortable with my extra 25 lbs. than I thought. SOOOO - in attempt to avoid ending another awesome green streak (and the usual No S rollercoaster that follows my sugar addiction), I've decided to take the plunge and just give sugar/crap foods the heave-ho for good. No gettin around it - sugar-type foods will forever be my "Kyrptonite". Enough already.

The kids had no school today, so I had "one last hurrah" today. (Hopefully, my body doesn't go into some kind of sugar coma tonight!!!! :shock: :)). I told my husband I'm sending myself to "food rehab" - will be pretty strict to start just to jolt my system out of it.

I'm actually gonna try a different route than No S.....trying the "six very small meals/snacks per day" route. I know, I know....I shouldn't even utter those words on the No S Boards....I mean that is totally against what No S is all about! :) But I've heard some people have been very successful with that method, and I'm curious if that will work for me. If not, I'll go back to three big meals per day with a 4:00 snack.

Plan to be more strict with my schedule, too, to get some LONG-overdue projects done and clear some of the constant "static" that comes with that.

Hmmmm......didn't I just say a week ago that I was done analyzing this and would just stick to the plan?? Oh Dear (sigh)....guess that just wouldn't be me to just stick with it, would it? :wink:

Have a great week everyone. Off to "food rehab" I go. Time to check myself in. :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by No BS » Tue Feb 12, 2013 1:23 pm

Good on you, gk, for getting right back into the game! And good luck to you in your food choices.

Some substitutes for white sugar: :arrow: maple syrup, honey, stevia, agave, molasses, palm sugar, date paste, date sugar. Usually one of which I manage to work into most days of normal food since I elected to redefine "sweets" into something healthy - not something processed & crappy for my body.

Fruit; or dried fruit mixed with nuts, coconut butter, cacao nibs & maple syrup, or cookies made with eggs, besan, nuts & dried fruit & date paste or cakes made with beans (seriously!!) and date paste, etc. etc. There are incredibly inspired blogs on the internet dedicated to developing & sharing fabulous baking recipes that use REAL food & not processed crap like white sugar & white flour. Particularly since a lot of people suffer from celiac disease or carbohydrate issues.

When you have a dessert consisting of a cake made with REAL food & drizzled with a fruit compote in lieu of sugar icing - you can have a piece of that cake with every meal if you wish - as long as it fits on your plate! That is the joy of redefining "sweets" into something healthy. It works for me and I know it can work for you!! :lol:

To me there is something so sweet, so simple, so satisfying to three full plates daily of healthy non-processed food. It is like a code to health & happiness preventing me from desperately ricocheting from food fad to food fad. :wink:
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by MJ7910 » Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:07 pm

i can relate to how you are feeling. one taste does seem to start a binge for me too. so far i'm doing ok on the Ndays but I can see how a slip up could lead to that. What I am trying to do is a system 1-10 for how bad i messed up. 10 is perfect 1 is out of control overeating to the point of sickness... that way you dont' think of it as green/red but more of a gradient. for me, seeing i "messed up" puts me into a tailspin. it's why i can't do calorie counting. if i'm over even by a little it tends to make the binge happen. when i started NoS the second time (first time i gave up after only 1.5 months) i was having a tendency to continue that black or white thinking (or rather green or red thinking!)... so i decided to change it a little. I'm still going to go for perfect compliance (AKA 10) but if i do mess up, i want to stop it from going into full blown eat everything in sight because i messed up syndrome... so that was when i developed the number system. i know that 1 is a major red but i dont' call it that... i just call it a 1. not success, but a 1. or a 3, 5, 6... however it was. I try to not label it as bad or good but just levels of noncompliance. that seems to work well for me. diet mentality is calling things "good or bad" and that sets me up for failure.

another point i clarified for myself this weekend, you have to do what works for you with regards to foods. for example, i put some single serving cheesecake slices back when i went shopping sunday because i knew i already overdid it taht day so i didn't need to overdo it even more. i may go get the cheesecake on saturday morning this weekend but i havent' decided yet. it is an option, but just on another Sday.

If a food seems to trigger you no matter what, maybe taking some time away from it is a good thing for you.

Most importantly, don't beat yourself up. I've learned from a year or so of diet mentality that this is no way to live life. you can't trash your self worth on basis of one food you ate that was "bad"... for me that leads to worse thinking, more binges, and more feeling bad about myself.

So banish that thinking, however you can. for me that is why the number system came into play. A good way for me to still see how I was doing without labeling it as "FAILURE" in red if i took one extra bite I shoudln't have... something like that woudl be an 8 or 9... still not success but not glaring failure.
Current BMI: 22.9. Height: 5'4.5"
Highest BMI: 25.5 in August 2011.
Lowest adult BMI: 20.8 in February 2012.

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Post by mulliganagain » Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:11 pm

MJ7910: I love your numbering system for days! That's a good idea! :D

gk: You sound like you have a great plan. :D If the six small meals work for you better than No S, only you know that - every body's different, and you have to do what works for YOU! Figuring out our bodies is a life long journey, and we just have to keep exploring. :) \

Good luck in rehab! :wink:
Sincerely,
Sarah H.

Starting BMI: 41.03/Current BMI: 33.53/Healthy BMI: 19-24

No S + Following "My Plate Guidelines"

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Post by No BS » Thu Feb 14, 2013 11:42 pm

The extravagances of our bodies & souls cannot be starkly codified for the convenience of mere mortals. :wink:
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by gk » Fri Mar 22, 2013 2:01 am

I'll give you one guess on how things went with "food rehab". :roll:

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Post by gk » Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:05 pm

MJ7910 wrote:i can relate to how you are feeling. one taste does seem to start a binge for me too. so far i'm doing ok on the Ndays but I can see how a slip up could lead to that. What I am trying to do is a system 1-10 for how bad i messed up. 10 is perfect 1 is out of control overeating to the point of sickness... that way you dont' think of it as green/red but more of a gradient. for me, seeing i "messed up" puts me into a tailspin. it's why i can't do calorie counting. if i'm over even by a little it tends to make the binge happen. when i started NoS the second time (first time i gave up after only 1.5 months) i was having a tendency to continue that black or white thinking (or rather green or red thinking!)... so i decided to change it a little. I'm still going to go for perfect compliance (AKA 10) but if i do mess up, i want to stop it from going into full blown eat everything in sight because i messed up syndrome... so that was when i developed the number system. i know that 1 is a major red but i dont' call it that... i just call it a 1. not success, but a 1. or a 3, 5, 6... however it was. I try to not label it as bad or good but just levels of noncompliance. that seems to work well for me. diet mentality is calling things "good or bad" and that sets me up for failure.

another point i clarified for myself this weekend, you have to do what works for you with regards to foods. for example, i put some single serving cheesecake slices back when i went shopping sunday because i knew i already overdid it taht day so i didn't need to overdo it even more. i may go get the cheesecake on saturday morning this weekend but i havent' decided yet. it is an option, but just on another Sday.

If a food seems to trigger you no matter what, maybe taking some time away from it is a good thing for you.

Most importantly, don't beat yourself up. I've learned from a year or so of diet mentality that this is no way to live life. you can't trash your self worth on basis of one food you ate that was "bad"... for me that leads to worse thinking, more binges, and more feeling bad about myself.

So banish that thinking, however you can. for me that is why the number system came into play. A good way for me to still see how I was doing without labeling it as "FAILURE" in red if i took one extra bite I shoudln't have... something like that woudl be an 8 or 9... still not success but not glaring failure.
SOO many good points in your post. Thanks so much for your input. I will follow your lead - excellent. :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by No BS » Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:52 pm

gk wrote:I'll give you one guess on how things went with "food rehab". :roll:
An ex-junkie friend of mine used to say "Rehab's just for quitters!!" :lol:

Welcome back! I missed you. :D
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by r.jean » Sun Mar 24, 2013 12:49 am

Good to see you back gk!
The journey is the reward.
Maintenance is progress.

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Post by gk » Sun Mar 24, 2013 6:38 pm

Thanks No BS and r.jean. I always stray, but always seem to return here, don't I. :wink:

Well, I feel like I've reached a new low when it comes to bad eating habits, and I've once again gained just a few more pounds because of it. My "all-time high" weight has seemed to have inched up over the past few months. The more weight I gain the less control I seem to have over my eating.....it's that out-of-control feeling where you're eating junk food and just plain TOO much food and you know you REALLY have to quit because you have whittled your wardrobe down to just a few outfits because of your, shall we say, "blossoming" figure, and you not only continue your bad eating, but eat EVEN MORE!!! :shock: :roll:

No analyzing or self-help books needed here........I know exactly what my food is "feeding", and I can't seem to find any other habit that makes me feel better about a certain unavoidable, ongoing situation I'm in. I need to remind myself that this food addiction is obviously not helping matters.....I've come to the point that I don't like to look in the mirror so much that I actually DON'T look in the mirror unless I absolutely have to - new territory here.

I'm trying to enforce the thinking that some things in life you DON'T have control over but eating you DO have control over. That should give me the drive to cling to it, but it's not stickin.

I've tried this "better eating" thing from every angle, but I guess continuing to try is better than giving up totally. Hopefully, this whole "the more I try, the more I eat" thing will subside and I'll make some progress. As said above, I'll try MJ7019's approach of using a number scale....always striving for 10 but avoiding the WTH occurrences with an all or nothing attitude.

I'm SO tired of this being something to focus my time on, but as evidenced by my dwindling wardrobe I guess I have no choice.

Haven't exercised in about a month, so as I return tomorrow, I'm hoping the daily exercise at the Y will help with my eating habits.

I have always been a very private person so it amazes me that I always return here and share all my thoughts like this. I think I do, however, because it makes me feel better knowing that at least one or two people out there have shared these feelings at one time or another, too. Nice to have company in that way, ya know?

Good luck to you all this week. :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by gk » Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:23 am

MONDAY - 3/25/13

FOOD: 2

EXERCISE: 25 minutes gentle yoga DVD


I can already tell I'm going to like this new number system (thanks again, MJ7910). I knew this would be a really uphill battle, since my eating habits are SO outta wack, hence my bad :oops: first day. But instead of slapping a big fat FAIL on my first day back, I can at least give myself a 2..........I did really good until lunch, but then it was downhill from there (DANG that candy!...I have to get it OUT of this house!!!). But even though I ate A TON more than I should have, since I did good in the morning, I can salvage that much and be proud that I at least made it that far. That's better than nothing, right?!

I'll also give myself a pat on the back for going with the flow when it comes to exercise....I told myself that I would from now on do exercise Monday through Friday, NO MATTER WHAT. Usually, if I get a busy day or something conflicts with my normal exercise class time at the Y, I just skip that day. You know how that goes.....you skip one day, that leads to another, and then before you know it, ANY excuse gets you out of going and you no longer even WANT to go. SOOOO.......to prevent that, I'm whipping out the home DVD's again. They really do pale in comparison to classes, but at least they keep me in the habit on days that it doesn't work out.....Like today....I was all set to go to the gym first thing in the morning and my youngest woke up sick. So instead of chucking the exercise, I grabbed a quick 25 minutes during the day at home, so I could keep with the habit.

This will be a slow climb back, but at least I have stopped the downward spiral and am heading back in the right direction! :)
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Post by No BS » Tue Mar 26, 2013 2:23 am

Good on you, gk! I absolutely love that there is NO QUIT in you and you are keeping on moving forward.

It is so incredibly important to find the positive things we can focus on about ourselves and our day! Good job on keeping positive and making it through the day & doing your exercise.

Amy & MJ helped me over my exercise hurdle. Amy told me if I could even just do a minute it was better than no minutes at all. And one small success gave me a platform to build further successes upon. It is the same with food. One small success breeds more successes.

Congratulations on not being a quitter and congrats on making it through lunch on No "S". Congrats on finding positives in your day to focus on. And congrats on doing your exercise! :D Good job!

And for all of us, remember, tomorrow is another gift to enjoy as we choose. :shock:
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by gk » Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:07 am

No BS wrote:....one small success gave me a platform to build further successes upon. It is the same with food. One small success breeds more successes.
Thanks so much! So nice to hear that encouragement. :)

I really like this way of thinking. Better to look at it like you are building up to being better than always failing to be perfect. Thanks!
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
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Post by gk » Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:20 am

TUESDAY - 3/26/13

FOOD: Ummm.....I guess a 2 again

EXERCISE: Gaiam AM/PM Stretch DVD (This is really good for a total body stretch with some very light strengthening---nice when you want to exercise but are sore--helps my bad hip/back/feet---sometimes I think my body forgets it is only 41)


My youngest was still sick, so I did another DVD. I had a knee-jerk reaction of, "ugh, I don't feel like it" (up late with the little one). BUT, I pushed myself to do it, and I kid you not, I was glad I did only 2 minutes into the DVD!

The food? Well....let's put it this way......The good news is that I no longer have candy in my house. The bad news? The reason I don't is because I ate the rest of it!! :roll: Not good habits at all today. The only reason I didn't give myself a 1 is because I actually have had worse days. I should have just thrown the candy out or gave it away, but I clutched onto that like a life raft, because I knew that I wouldn't be buying any more (NO CONTROL!!!)

Anyway, I'm surprisingly upbeat about my small number 2, because I know that it could have been worse and it will get better. I'm doing better with exercise and I'm sure that will eventually pull better eating habits into my day.
Last edited by gk on Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by oolala53 » Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:03 pm

Would you direct me to the date MJ posted about this number 2 business? TX.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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Post by Sweetness » Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:05 pm

Good for you on not giving up! Hang in there! Exercising will help kick up your metabolism and your attitude, congrats on doing that! Thanks for your honesty. We're all pulling for you. 8)
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by gk » Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:05 pm

MJ7910 wrote:i can relate to how you are feeling. one taste does seem to start a binge for me too. so far i'm doing ok on the Ndays but I can see how a slip up could lead to that. What I am trying to do is a system 1-10 for how bad i messed up. 10 is perfect 1 is out of control overeating to the point of sickness... that way you dont' think of it as green/red but more of a gradient. for me, seeing i "messed up" puts me into a tailspin. it's why i can't do calorie counting. if i'm over even by a little it tends to make the binge happen. when i started NoS the second time (first time i gave up after only 1.5 months) i was having a tendency to continue that black or white thinking (or rather green or red thinking!)... so i decided to change it a little. I'm still going to go for perfect compliance (AKA 10) but if i do mess up, i want to stop it from going into full blown eat everything in sight because i messed up syndrome... so that was when i developed the number system. i know that 1 is a major red but i dont' call it that... i just call it a 1. not success, but a 1. or a 3, 5, 6... however it was. I try to not label it as bad or good but just levels of noncompliance. that seems to work well for me. diet mentality is calling things "good or bad" and that sets me up for failure.

another point i clarified for myself this weekend, you have to do what works for you with regards to foods. for example, i put some single serving cheesecake slices back when i went shopping sunday because i knew i already overdid it taht day so i didn't need to overdo it even more. i may go get the cheesecake on saturday morning this weekend but i havent' decided yet. it is an option, but just on another Sday.

If a food seems to trigger you no matter what, maybe taking some time away from it is a good thing for you.

Most importantly, don't beat yourself up. I've learned from a year or so of diet mentality that this is no way to live life. you can't trash your self worth on basis of one food you ate that was "bad"... for me that leads to worse thinking, more binges, and more feeling bad about myself.

So banish that thinking, however you can. for me that is why the number system came into play. A good way for me to still see how I was doing without labeling it as "FAILURE" in red if i took one extra bite I shoudln't have... something like that woudl be an 8 or 9... still not success but not glaring failure.
oolala53: This is the post that started me on the new number system. Surprisingly, it doesn't make me strive less for a "green day", but rather it keeps my spirits up when I can't seem to stay within good eating habits. It makes me want to try harder but sidesteps all the frustration somehow. I've only started this a couple days ago, but my frame of mind about dieting is already much better and I can feel the anxiety of having less food/snacking all day ease somewhat. I think this system is good for someone like me whose habits are SO bad that it'll take quite a while to work out of them. Whatever works, right? :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by gk » Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:07 pm

Sweetness wrote:Good for you on not giving up! Hang in there! Exercising will help kick up your metabolism and your attitude, congrats on doing that! Thanks for your honesty. We're all pulling for you. 8)
Thanks so much Sweetness! I appreciate the support - good to know we're all in this together! :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by oolala53 » Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:33 pm

Thanks. Sounds like a good way to avoid letting the WTH effect take over.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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Post by sleepygirlzzzz » Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:37 pm

Hi gk,

Just wanted to send some good wishes and add my support. Like you, I cannot just have 'one taste' without it sending me into a binge frenzy (which is why I'm still struggling a bit on S days). My only way around this is to keep all tempting treats out of the house during the week. I'm also trying to stick to a 'no baking on weekdays' rule because I've often resorted to baking myself treats when I didn't have any store-bought ones available (although I would often try to make myself believe that I was baking 'for the kids'). I even make my poor husband hide any treats he buys for himself in the car because if he hides it in the house, I'm bound to find it!

Good luck on gradually making your N days all 10s and well done for never giving up!

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Post by No BS » Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:37 pm

gk wrote:TUESDAY - 3/26/13

FOOD: I know that it could have been worse and it will get better. I'm doing better with exercise and I'm sure that will eventually pull better eating habits into my day.
Bless your brave heart for having the courage to trust yourself! For having the courage to continue. For having the courage of many small successes to gradually build your growing island of achievement upon! :D

I love that you own the fact that you are a work in progress! :D Keep up the good work, gk, you are SO worth it!!
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by gk » Thu Mar 28, 2013 1:49 am

No BS wrote:Bless your brave heart for having the courage to trust yourself! For having the courage to continue. For having the courage of many small successes to gradually build your growing island of achievement upon! :D

I love that you own the fact that you are a work in progress! :D Keep up the good work, gk, you are SO worth it!!
Such kind words. Thanks so much for your support. Means alot. :)
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CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by gk » Thu Mar 28, 2013 1:53 am

Thanks for dropping by sleepygirlzzzz. It is SO nice to hear about others who totally understand the struggle with food. I'm surrounded by so many people who just "don't get it", so it can feel discouraging at times...."why do I struggle with this so much and they don't???".

Thanks for your support! I wish you the best of luck with your No S journey. :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by gk » Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:03 am

WEDNESDAY - 3/27/13

FOOD: It's a 3 today!

EXERCISE: Gaiam AM/PM Stretch DVD

The support on my thread today was WONDERFUL, and I do believe checking in here now and then during the day truly does help - HENCE the 3!!!! I felt so relaxed about everything today. I do believe I've FINALLY found a way to approach this that works for me!!!

Last day for my youngest to stay home from school...just wasn't quite well enough yet. SO, another day with my favorite stretch DVD. Honestly, I think that was the best thing for me this week. I have a feeling I would have overdone it at the gym, since my back and feet were so sore. I'm feeling great. Amazing how a thorough stretch and very minimal strengthening moves can change how you feel so much! I feel like I'm getting a good base for when I increase intensity next week. My new approach to food works with exercise as well.........slow and steady is best for me.

Have a great day everyone! :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by MJ7910 » Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:07 am

Great job so far! I love your honesty about where you are with this. It takes time.
Current BMI: 22.9. Height: 5'4.5"
Highest BMI: 25.5 in August 2011.
Lowest adult BMI: 20.8 in February 2012.

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Post by Sweetness » Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:19 pm

:wink:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by No BS » Thu Mar 28, 2013 11:54 pm

Good job, gk! Hope you have a lovely weekend.
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by gk » Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:46 am

Thanks for stopping by everyone. :)

THURSDAY - 3/28/13

FOOD: 4!!! :shock:

EXERCISE: Walking and Gaiam PM Stretch DVD

My youngest was finally well enough to go back to school, but my day was SO crazy busy with errands that I still didn't have enough time to go to the gym. I did so much fast-paced walking that my legs actually hurt, so I could have easily considered that my exercise for the day, but get this.....After supper, I MISSED having done the stretch tape, so I went ahead and the took the time to do it tonight. That's when you know you're on the right track! :wink: Nice slow lead in to actual exercise next week!

Didn't have much time for food today, so the 4 was easier than usual, but I still feel good about it. :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by MJ7910 » Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:54 am

Nice job, you are doing well!
Current BMI: 22.9. Height: 5'4.5"
Highest BMI: 25.5 in August 2011.
Lowest adult BMI: 20.8 in February 2012.

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Post by Sweetness » Fri Mar 29, 2013 3:29 am

I look forward to seeing 5..6...7...8....9.....and 10 on your thread!!! :wink:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by milliem » Fri Mar 29, 2013 9:38 am

I'm loving seeing those numbers creep up on your thread, excellent!

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Post by sleepygirlzzzz » Fri Mar 29, 2013 9:19 pm

Woo-hoo for your 4! Keep it up the great work and enjoy the upcoming S days :D

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Post by No BS » Sat Mar 30, 2013 2:44 am

Well done, gk!!

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.†– Churchill
If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room!!

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Post by gk » Sat Mar 30, 2013 2:54 am

Thanks everyone! :)

FRIDAY - 3/29/13

FOOD: It's a 5, people! :D

EXERCISE: Gaiam AM Stretch

What a great day! Talk about something that I click with....it just keeps getting better and better! This has taken the obsession and anxiety out of dieting BIG TIME. The more I "accept" my best for the day, the better I do. I have also been tons more efficient in my daily tasks and projects this week as well.....I'm not obsessed with dieting/weight and I feel more easy-going when it comes to things, which in turn is making me more focused and simply more happy all around.

I also made a decision today.......been tossing around the idea of quitting the gym and sticking to DVD's at home. As much as I loved it back in November, I think I'd rather go back to exercising at home. It takes half the time this way (no driving back and forth), I can do it any time of day so it's much more flexible, and honestly I'm not much of a "joiner" so I feel more comfortable exercising at home. I've decided to slowly build a collection of DVD's at home so I have alot of variety. I love how at collagevideo.com they have a clip you can play for each video, so you can tell right away if you'll like it or not. Tons of selection and free shipping over $25 - can't beat that!

I also decided that S days have been my downfall whenever I'm on a good streak. This time I'm going to learn from my past experiences and skip them altogether for now. Since I'm only at a 5, I'm obviously getting snacks and sweets in, so I won't feel deprived. I definately don't need a day to tempt bingeing. I think a "10" for me might just end up being a day with 3 meals, 1 small snack, and 1 small sweet....no S Days. But, I guess I'll just see how things go. I tried that before and always binged, but maybe it'll end up working this time around without my "all or nothing" frame of mind. I'll just take this week by week and see how it goes.

Taking days off for exercise causes me to slip into "excuse mode", so I'm going to apply that way of thinking to exercise as well. I will do a DVD every day of the week, with at least 2 days of stretch videos thrown in there. As my sore areas improve, I will slowly work up to 5 days of more intense exercise. My "stretch days" will give me a break/rest, but still keep me in the habit. I will look at it as just part of my day, like taking a shower or taking care of the kids.

I feel like I'm moving in the right direction - learning from past mistakes and actually doing something about it this time. Feels good!

Have a great weekend everyone! Happy Easter! :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by oolala53 » Sat Mar 30, 2013 4:02 am

And it sounds calm and reasoned, not a pipe dream. I'm convinced periods of failure are actually useful must for the making up.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

Sweetness
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Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:54 pm
Location: Fall and winters in Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico and summers in St Paul, Minnesota

Post by Sweetness » Sat Mar 30, 2013 4:07 am

Hurrah for 5!!! :lol:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 4:10 am

Post by gk » Sun Mar 31, 2013 3:58 am

oolala53 wrote: I'm convinced periods of failure are actually useful must for the making up.
Well, I've had a LONG period of failure....it will be nice to finally learn from it and move on! :)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

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Post by gk » Sun Mar 31, 2013 4:16 am

SATURDAY - 3/30/13

FOOD: 6 - As my 12 year old would say - MIND. BLOWN. :shock: :lol:

EXERCISE: Gaiam AM Stretch

I must have overdid it with one of my twist stretches because my lower back is pretty sore, but I still did my DVD today to keep in with habit - just adjusted it when needed. It was a busy day, but I "scheduled it in", so it would get done. Enjoyed every minute of it, but anxious to start actually exercising. Have to wait until my back's better, and then I'll tackle another DVD.

Interesting observation today.....I usually snack/binge as a reaction to certain situations. I have encountered the same situations but I'm consciously choosing to react and think of them in a different way. If you can't change certain things, you can at least change how you react to them. As I do this, I don't have the urge to snack/binge. I nip it in the bud, so I don't then start the cycle of feeling guilty about eating and then do it again, etc., etc.. In the past I've tried to find a different activity to avoid snacking/binging, but I'm finding I don't need to replace it with a different activity......I just need to change my outlook and reactions. That simple task makes the urge to eat just melt away.

Oh, and I baked cookies today. Only had a few. Only WANTED a few. WEIRD. :shock:

Loving my upward climb. 8)
SW (as of 3/25/13): 172 lbs.
CW: 171 lbs.

sleepygirlzzzz
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Location: Originally from Chicago; living in the UK for past 11yrs

Post by sleepygirlzzzz » Sun Mar 31, 2013 1:05 pm

Wow! Look how quickly you're numbers are going up! And really well done sticking to the exercise habit - but please do be careful & make sure you take a rest day if your body really needs it. Keep up the good work. You're doing brilliantly!

Happy Easter!

Sweetness
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Post by Sweetness » Mon Apr 01, 2013 1:04 am

Six! Like it! :wink:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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