MJ7910 - daily check in

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:48 am

Wow, you are doing well, 4.7 miles, wish I could do that but my knees wont let me yet. I figure once I lose more weight though I'll be able to go further. I read somewhere that every pound of extra weight is 4 pounds pressure on your knees. I'm guessing I make close to 3 miles in my whole workout walking and running. I will know once I get back to Minnesota, Its 3 miles around our lake.

And your S days will naturally get milder as you No S habits spill over to the weekend, sounds like its happening for you already!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:49 am

KL wrote:
MJ7910 wrote: didn't feel overfull at all. same with yesterday. did ok with moderating treats and still enjoyed myself .
Yay Awesome - especially the enjoyment part.

yes and i realize now that just because it's an Sday and I "can" have something, i really need to think about if i actually want it or if it's just the idea that i can have it that i like! if it's just the idea i can have it, that's fine but if i don't want it, move on and enjoy the treats i actually enjoy and not everything i see!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:51 am

Sweetness wrote:Wow, you are doing well, 4.7 miles, wish I could do that but my knees wont let me yet. I figure once I lose more weight though I'll be able to go further. I read somewhere that every pound of extra weight is 4 pounds pressure on your knees. I'm guessing I make close to 3 miles in my whole workout walking and running. I will know once I get back to Minnesota, Its 3 miles around our lake.

And your S days will naturally get milder as you No S habits spill over to the weekend, sounds like its happening for you already!

yes, you can do it someday, but don't try and rush it. i was doing 4 miles back in december the whole way through, got my best time of 37:49 for 4 miles. then i started having some knee and calf pain, i had to slow myself down and now that i have done that i'm building back up again. i'm not thinking i'll get my best time when i do a 5 mile race but at least i can finish even if some walking does need to happen.
the good habits are finally spilling over, after 2 months . definitely still having excesses on s days but it's slowed down and i definitely don't enjoy being overfull so that is some progress! also getting more choosy about what i pick so that is great too.

Jonas Jonasson · Post by **Jonas Jonasson** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 6:54 am

the good habits are finally spilling over

This is what you have been diligently working towards. Well done!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:54 am

today was pretty good day foodwise. dinner i just had a 6 inch sub and protein bar. lunch we had pizza at work, i just had 1 slice with an apple, yogurt and fiber bar. breakfast was a banana and protein bar. overall probably a good day. also probably walk about 4 ish miles...

the journey continues... thanks everyone for their kind words.

Anonymous-Coward · Post by **Anonymous-Coward** » Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:55 pm

You posted on my thread - So I thought I'd pop by yours.
Nice to see you doing well... Reading through the two pages you have here - I can feel you getting stronger. Keep it up!

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:22 am

MJ7910 wrote:i don't feel like i'm in a mental prison anymore and that is way better than weighing less!

I am smiling with happiness reading your thread, MJ! Such incredible progress and wonderful peace of mind!

You sure have come a long way, not just in miles either!

Good on you!

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:23 am

MJ7910 wrote:
Sweetness wrote:Wow, you are doing well, 4.7 miles, wish I could do that but my knees wont let me yet. I figure once I lose more weight though I'll be able to go further. I read somewhere that every pound of extra weight is 4 pounds pressure on your knees. I'm guessing I make close to 3 miles in my whole workout walking and running. I will know once I get back to Minnesota, Its 3 miles around our lake.

And your S days will naturally get milder as you No S habits spill over to the weekend, sounds like its happening for you already!
yes, you can do it someday, but don't try and rush it. i was doing 4 miles back in december the whole way through, got my best time of 37:49 for 4 miles. then i started having some knee and calf pain, i had to slow myself down and now that i have done that i'm building back up again. i'm not thinking i'll get my best time when i do a 5 mile race but at least i can finish even if some walking does need to happen.
the good habits are finally spilling over, after 2 months . definitely still having excesses on s days but it's slowed down and i definitely don't enjoy being overfull so that is some progress! also getting more choosy about what i pick so that is great too.

Thanks for the good advice, I have gotten over the desire to run further and faster and made myself be content with my light jog, stick to running on asphalt or dirt (no more concrete) and my knees are now almost perfect! I'm looking forward to running around our lake and signing up for some 5Ks and having a running buddy sometimes. She will have to slow down for me though, she is 29 and did a half marathon last fall!

You are doing great and you're getting to the point that took me many months before I started to get choosy on S days, and satisfied with less food. I'm really happy for you!

gk · Post by gk » Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:25 am

MJ7910 wrote:thanks, i feel better even though i know i'm not as "thin" as i was then. i almost don't even care because i don't feel like i'm in a mental prison anymore and that is way better than weighing less!

I totally agree! I've always thought that weight loss on No S starts out being the main goal and then ends up being just a nice side effect, as the peace of mind far outweighs a smaller number on the scale. So happy for you! Keep it up!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:07 am

Been away for awhile. Pretty good weekend and ok Monday. Nothing really to note just staying as green as I can. Ok may be something to say. Ran a race of 5 miles in 57 minutes which I was pretty proud of. Especially because some of the trail was a muddy mess, some was uphill and gravel. So I thought that was pretty great. Also doing better but now that I know food won't cure anxiety or lessen any problems, I don't turn to it. But, at the same time, I feel more of my feelings. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:23 am

Congrats on the good time for 5 miles. I hope to be able to run 5 miles some day. You go girl!!

SpiritSong · Post by **SpiritSong** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:21 pm

Congrats on your 5 mile race time!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:17 am

another good day . had an all day work training and they were passing out snacks all throughout the day. I could have had one but i didn't because i wasn't really hungry and i knew it wouldn't be my plan for an N day. I was pretty proud of that . And I noticed how many people take snacks when they are not even hungry (this is a guess on my part, i only assume they couldn't be because we just ate lunch). anyway, it was storming outside but i did 4 miles on the treadmilll walking and running. i didn't go very fast because i didn't want to push too hard after the long run on sunday but i feel like i'm building back up again.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:18 am

SpiritSong wrote:Congrats on your 5 mile race time!

thanks! i feel proud of it because it was somewhat a trail race. i used to run sub 10 minute mile but i feel like that is pretty good for mud and gravel and uphill a few times!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:19 am

Sweetness wrote:Congrats on the good time for 5 miles. I hope to be able to run 5 miles some day. You go girl!!

thanks! i know you can do it. i was running 5k for a long time and then 4 miles since about december of 2012 until march of 2012. this past race is the first 5 miler i've done. and i think i may do a 10k yet this summer . you can do it if you have the patience, which i know you have. forget about "getting a good time" which was the nonsense i was focused on at first. just doing it and being able to say you ran 5 miles is pretty fantastic.

Jonas Jonasson · Post by **Jonas Jonasson** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:51 am

forget about "getting a good time" which was the nonsense i was focused on at first

This sounds so familiar. But you seem to have grown-up quite a bit, haven't you?

SpiritSong · Post by **SpiritSong** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:52 pm

MJ7910 wrote:And I noticed how many people take snacks when they are not even hungry (this is a guess on my part, i only assume they couldn't be because we just ate lunch).

Hey, before No S, I would take the snack just for the entertainment. It just goes to show how we've broken down the "eat when hungry" connection.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 1:34 am

Jonas Jonasson wrote:
forget about "getting a good time" which was the nonsense i was focused on at first
This sounds so familiar. But you seem to have grown-up quite a bit, haven't you?

you know, i have in some ways but in other ways i still have a long way to go! recently i've been focusing on letting go of some things. but it's been tough.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 1:35 am

SpiritSong wrote:
MJ7910 wrote:And I noticed how many people take snacks when they are not even hungry (this is a guess on my part, i only assume they couldn't be because we just ate lunch).
Hey, before No S, I would take the snack just for the entertainment. It just goes to show how we've broken down the "eat when hungry" connection.

i know, it's so weird. we just do it because we do. when you stop and think if you really want the snack it turns out you don't!

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 5:30 pm

MJ7910 wrote: just doing it and being able to say you ran 5 miles is pretty fantastic.

Brilliant insight. Whether it is 5 miles, a plate of food, saying no to a snack, or yes to No"S, or whatever your particular "it" is:

Just doing "it" and being able to say you did "it" is pretty fantastic.

Thanks so much, MJ, I am so enjoying your progress & insights.

And congratulations on your awesome runs! WOWSERS!!

r.jean · Post by **r.jean** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 11:15 am

I am just catching up on the forum. Wow you are doing a great job! Good race last week.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Apr 24, 2013 12:13 am

Another good day. Amazing how stressing about what and when to eat is just not part of my life anymore. Feels fantastic!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Thu Apr 25, 2013 1:59 am

today i had a green day but was feeling really weird post dinner like i felt like i should eat something. but since i couldnt' figure out what i wanted to eat or why i was feeling that way, i just didn't. which is good because now i'm tired and ready for bed so i'll just do that instead! occasionally i seem to get hungry but there is nothing i really want, i think it's just a tendency i have as i used to emotionally eat a lot. maybe just having a busy day made me feel like i "deserved" something. i think i did actually have that thought. but what do i "deserve" anyway? i certainly didn't want to have a sweet treat. i didn't need anything with caffeine. so what was it. i don't know. so nothing it is.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 1:10 am

Lately just been a little over having to come up with meals. I did OK today, had a hot chocolate but not counting it as a total fail, just borderline. Just tired of food. Let me elaborate, I am glad thoughts of food no longer rule my life, but sometimes it is hard because I have no clue what I want. I only had the hot chocolate because I had a very active day fitness wise, a ton of walking. I started getting a headache and waited too long to take a pill. And I just wanted to. Not that this is a good reason, but it was a beverage so I am thinking it is maybe OK as long as I opt for tea should it recur.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Wed May 01, 2013 2:15 am

Sometimes when I don't know what to have, or if I am tired of cooking, I'll just have an apple. Or an orange.

I get over my ennui pretty quick by the next meal time when I am honestly hungry again!!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri May 03, 2013 1:47 am

lately i have been wanting a sweet, well really since i had a visitor come into town... thankfully that time will end soon and hopefully i will go back to normal. i haven't given into sweets but i've had more iced tea than i should have and probably a little larger meals. so i feel like i've done ok. i am supposed to weigh myself tomorrow but i really don't want to so i think i may just hold off until june. i usually weigh myself right when that certain monthly friend is gone because my weight tends to be at its lowest. but i just am not feeling it tomorrow morning or saturday morning. i think maybe weighing every 3 months is acceptable after june. maybe do like a june/sept/dec/march type of schedule... that might actually be better. it puts less pressure on me to be making some kind of crazy progress every month or two.

sleepygirlzzzz · Post by **sleepygirlzzzz** » Fri May 03, 2013 7:00 am

Well done for staying on plan even when you have a visitor and your routine gets thrown off.

If you don't feel like weighing yourself, don't stress about it. There isn't anything that says you have to weigh yourself at certain times or even at all. Perhaps you could try just seeing how your clothes fit instead because that's probably more important than the number on the scale anyways?

Whatever you decide, don't put pressure on yourself. Especially when you're dong so well on No S

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri May 03, 2013 12:04 pm

Well I went ahead and weighed myself and I haven't gained weight, I am actually about the same, 139.2. I am about 5 foot 4 and a half so I feel good about maintaining. I am wearing size 5,6,7 clothes so I think I am doing just fine. I am only writing the numbers here so when I weigh next I will have a comparison. I dont plan on weighing for a month at least. I don't want my self worth determined by a scale number so not weighing tomorrow. That was my bad habit when I had an obsessive disorder, I would check in the next ay (just in case I lost a massive amount of weight). Haha that is a comical thought. Just going to keeping going forward with my lovely 3 meals. And if I want some fun stuff on sat or sun so be it. No reason to worry. Maintaining is good.
I will totally own up to being disappointed I didn't lose weight, but at least I didn't gain. And I haven't gone back to my old clothes!
In the past id be tempted to desperately make mods but I see this is only going to encourage diet head. So I will just keep enjoying my food and living an active life.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed May 08, 2013 1:03 am

Have been getting a cold coming on, so been thinking about bending the rules a little. But so fast I haven't. Will see how I feel in the morning. I have had a good week. Did pretty well this weekend even with friends visiting. This is definitely getting more like a way of life.

r.jean · Post by **r.jean** » Sat May 11, 2013 12:34 pm

Hope your cold gets better. I usually feel the need to eat more when I am fighting a cold. I usually just give in to the urge and try to make my choices healthy. If I try to resist, it usually leads to falling off the wagon and overeating.

If necessary, I believe sick days can be S days.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Mon May 13, 2013 2:12 am

MJ7910 wrote:That was my bad habit when I had an obsessive disorder, I would check in the next ay (just in case I lost a massive amount of weight). Haha that is a comical thought. Just going to keeping going forward with my lovely 3 meals. And if I want some fun stuff on sat or sun so be it. No reason to worry. Maintaining is good..........So I will just keep enjoying my food and living an active life.

OMG, MJ, your observations quite often leave me laughing my head off!

Thanks so much!

Very wise post, MJ. It is so easy to get nutty/obsessive about weight issues instead of making firm choices and getting on with just enjoying yourself and living the best life you can.

Keep up the terrific work, MJ!!

And I sure hope you haven't been waylaid too long by a cold bug.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat May 18, 2013 4:17 pm

Caught up with your thread. Hope this month is continuing to go well. I affirm for you that you be released from any obsession with this, though in this darn culture, I'm not sure how that happens. Reinhard doesn't know how lucky he was to find a wife who is one of the few women who didn't stress about eating and being slim.

I browsed around but couldn't find if you've ever mentioned your age. I may have even asked before!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Thu May 30, 2013 1:53 am

Things are going well, so much that I haven't been on here in forever. I am sticking with the plan and keeping up with running. Doing a 10k in a few weeks. I am not obsessing any more, I don't really even crave sweets. It's amazing. I am 33 since you asked. This is the most freedom I have had in my life from diet mind. I hope I can keep this up for years!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu May 30, 2013 2:29 am

Just thought you might like to know that you are lighter than 65% of your age/height peers, though that is not the measure of your success. Your freedom is the real benchmark!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Jun 07, 2013 7:28 pm

Checking in after a week or so. Weighing myself every month only now and I noticed a weight loss of about 0.7 lb on my digital scale, so that seems pretty nice andd gradual, just as oolala described it. So I think I am at around 138.5 at this point. I appreciate the info about where I fit with others my age and height, makes me feel good, so thanks for that. At this point I am just grateful for how effortless no s has become and I am so glad I stuck with it. I have almost no desire to binge or rebel anymore, and that diet mentality has almost passed. I still get an ocasional diet thought but it is way better than it has been and I have no s and all the great support on here to thank for it. I am doing a 10k run this weekend too. Just happy to be doing it, no matter what happens.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Jun 12, 2013 2:09 am

I completed my 10k. I did pretty well. 1:04:51. I was hoping for under 1:10 so I was very happy with that. I knew it would be slower than my 5k pace, so I was expecting about 1:05-1:10. but i know now it's not so much about the time, but more the fact that i completed a 10k! that's a big deal. I started running in June of 2012 and did a 5k in August 2012. Less than a year later, I have doubled my distance. I need to just be proud of that for a little bit. My legs hurt pretty badly the day after the race and today. But the feeling of doing that is incredible! And I did the 10k weighing about 10 lb more than what I did when I did the 5k. I think maybe I was too skinny last summer. I got down to 123 when i was in full diet head mode. I was around 125-130 last summer. Now I am probably 135-140 and I still can run. Even farther, in fact than I did last year. I still have this diet head voice saying to me that I should weigh less than 130. But you know, I am not sure that will happen again. If it does, it does. But if I stick with NoS, I know that things will come to where they are meant to come. I was thinking about how I had lost about 0.5-1 lb over a month and of course the wheels start turning "well maybe i can lose more next month" and I know that is usually what leads me to not doing NoS, giving up, etc. That is what happened last summer. I only stuck with NoS for about a month last summer, however. I gained weight on it, and ran away. But, this time I have not given up. I did gain weight from Feb-March-April. Then I slowly have been losing a little each month. When I say a little, like 0.5-1 lb. But it's ok. Because at least I'm not having these horrible thoughts about how "bad" i was to eat food X or how i "need" to exercise to burn a certain amount of calories. Now, I just stick with my meals and have some extra stuff on the weekend without guilt anymore. And so maybe if it means losing slowly, that is better than hating myself for eating something. Because health is both physical and mental. And beating oneself up over food is a sign of mental issues over dieting. So I'm a work in progress. Don't know if I'll ever shake that idea of wanting to be under 130. I hope I can get past it.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:22 am

I've been having small, consistent failures since I weighed in at a lower weight than I've been in over 20 years, and the thought started coming that maybe I could get down a lot lower. I started thinking a lot about getting to a weight I had been near only once since I'd been a freshman in high school. I think that upset the inner apple cart.

Jonas Jonasson · Post by **Jonas Jonasson** » Wed Jun 12, 2013 8:56 am

Congratulations on the 10k!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:53 pm

Today is one of those days I feel a little discouraged. Yesterday I tried on my shorts from last summer and they didn't fit. I know I have gained weight doing nos. And I have seen a small loss the past 2 months. But something about not fitting in my old pants was tough. I know when I used to wear them I was going through a binge/deprive cycle. And I know that mentally I don't want to be there again. But I can't help missing that size. Just like I miss being under 130 or even 135. So I want to remind myself of what has positively changed doing nos. I no longer feel disgusted at myself when I go over calories, because I no longer know when that has happened. I allow myself treats and for the most part don't feel deprived. I no longer obsess about food or worry about a snack because snacks have started to become not part of the picture. These are all good things. And I exercise for enjoyment, not to meet a calorie goal. So I need to remind myself that I didnt feel good despite wearing a smaller size. Physically I was smaller but mentally I was stuck in a diet prison.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 1:11 am

That last observation is so good, about how you ultimately weren't even happy with the whole picture even when you were fitting into those pants. And reminding yourself of the advantages is a very good tactic, too. I have a list of the reasons I want to change my eating permanently, and many of them have to do with non-cosmetic results. (I've got some of the cosmetic ones, too. I don't really think I can meet them without surrendering to regular exercise, but if moderate exercise doesn't get me closer to them, I might take them off my list. No need to torture myself.)

It's not over yet, anyway.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 3:06 pm

I know there are lots of good reasons for doing something more sane like nos. I remember how much worse I felt when I didnt "meet my calorie goal" and I remember too well the guilt,, binges, and excessive exercise I put myself through. So I think what it is for me is I expected I could still wear that size doing nos. Maybe that is unrealistic. Maybe my body wants to weigh a little more. Maybe I need to give it time to settle. One thing I may do is try to have a little less for my evening meal and see if that makes any difference. I will probably need to do that for months to see a difference.but it is worth it if I am not torturing myself counting calories.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:01 pm

Well I did the every 4 week weigh in and still about the same, 139. Was hoping for a slight difference. This leads me to think about mods and if I need them. I think I want to try keeping the 3 meal structure but try to avoid eating fast food during the week. That may make a difference.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 12:31 am

back again after a short hiatus. Looks like i am seeing a slow weight loss. this month has been a lot different . at first i was allowing the mod for friday night but the last few weekends i let it go, decided to stick with vanilla no s. I think i was around 139 last month and this month i see a return to around 137.6 so maybe a small loss over the month. i wonder if some of it isn't because i passed up the friday night treats. probably has something to do with it . i also started having protein shake as part of my dinner. dinner seems to be always where i overeat even if i try to put it on one plate. i have something small, a protein bar, and a shake. i figure that is good enough during the week . i actually like the protein shakes so i've been able to keep it up for a month. the nice thing is, no counting calories as long as i keep a pretty standard breakfast, lunch, dinner. the only thing that varies is my saturday and sunday meals/desserts. i try now to not really snack unless i am hungry. if i want a treat i try and have it with a meal or shortly after the meal. that way it is not mindless snacking all day. another difference has been i haven't been stuffing myself anymore. it's taken about 5 months for that to finally stop once and for all but it has. in august it will be 6 months since i really committed to NoS for my second try doing it . my first try only lasted 1.5 months and i freaked out over the weight gain. this time i expected weight gain and rolled with it (even though it made me slightly anxious). so now that i'm finally seeing a weight loss we will see what the next month brings. hopefully i don't go back to my old ways and i think setting the habit for the week has been helpful. i rarely mess up a day during the week (an N day) and when I do, I try to not let it get me down. It has almost become a system of not really thinking about food anymore. i kind of know what I will be eating during the week and i like all my meal choices so it doesn't really bother me too much anymore. yes there are times when others are eating something that i think i might want, but i try to not worry about it and think of something else . exercise has been great too. just ran another 5 mile race last friday and got a really good time (just over 52 minutes) so i was pretty proud of that. i am determined to keep plugging away with NoS. I am definitely not envious of people who calorie count!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:00 pm

A little frustrated today as I weighed in at exactly the same as a month ago. I have done vanilla no s faithfully all month too. Have to say that makes me sad. Feel like maybe I need to change something. My weekday breakfast and lunch are pretty good but thinking maybe dinner could have a small sandwich and a protein shake/bar, maybe that would help. I really don't want to mess with s days. Once I start doing that I do feel like I am on a diet. Also have a vacation in a few weeks. Want to stick with no s plan as much as possible. It may be hard but I feel I need to not let the whole week be total gluttony.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 11:36 am

ok so now i am getting to feeling like overeating is just unpleasant for me. yesterday i could have really gone over the top but i didn't. i had a bigger breakfast, a few treats, a big lunch, chinese for dinner. but i cant' say i felt stuffed or over did it. i knew when to stop and did. so that's progress. why eat just to eat. the other thing, felt kind of sick when i thought about eating more sweets. it was more like "why would i want to do that" instead of "bring it on". my N days are a little bit changed this last week after the weight being the same. i have it pretty regulated. going on vacation week after next so i know my diet will slightly change again, let's just hope it doesn't totally throw things off. but i know it only will if i let it. my first 2 days of vacation are next saturday and sunday so will approach that as any S days. then during the week i really plan on just having my meals. I get some kind of a meal plan where we are going so i may use my "snack" credit on the off days during my lunches, maybe just get a little extra so i am sticking with the 3 meals part of things . i really want to leave the structure as is during vacation. and i plan on only having desserts on the S days. I get a dessert credit every day too, but will only use that toward fruit or something on the other days or will give the dessert to someone else or not take it if those things aren't an option. i definitely don't want to stress myself out on vacation so will take it as it goes. overally feeling a little better. i have made peace with no weight loss as i know a lot of it was overdoing it on the weekends. hey at least it wasn't a gain. i'm sitting steady around 137.6 and there is nothing wrong with that . still well within the healthy range for my height. and i still can fit into most of my smaller sized clothes so that is a bonus.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:47 pm

How did vacation go? Did you get derailed? Or have things just become routine? Either way, would love to hear where you're at.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:33 pm

thanks for the question, oolala53. i've been sort of chilling out after vacation. I lost weight while on vacation! either that or it was just overall for the month. either way, i had fun on vacation, enjoyed a few desserts but overall just ate normal meals and did allow some snacks. we did a ton of walking and i ate foods i don't normally eat and sweated a lot because it was hot there! then the next week was my period so i waited a bit to not freak myself out too much. I finally weighed in after my period was over and fri was 136.8 and saturday 135.6. was a bit surprised. so that means averaging those to would give me 136.2 for my monthly weigh in. not bad at all. which means i am down another 1.4 lb for September. slowly but surely. i did have a bit of a mess up friday. i had about 4 chocolate almonds and a caramel/chocolate candy. but i figure that was about 100 calories worth of stuff so even though technically i would get a red for that day, it wasn't all out chaos and "what the hell" effect didn't take over. and i didn't punish myself saturday or sunday, i just treated them as normal S days. i could have said since I did that friday i was cutting sunday short at noon but i didn't. maybe part of it is just being happy i lost a little more weight. can't say that is totally why but probably i rewarded myself a little bit for the lost weight. which is counterintuitive, how is eating somethign a reward for losing weight!? wow. but i know that was part of it. my thought process was "damn it, i want it now, i am just going to have it and then that really will be it." i made that promise to myself and that really was it for friday. I still technically "messed up" but it's ok because i can reframe it now and not feel serious guilt over it. now when i look at my recorded weights, i was around 140-141 in late April so I feel like i'm headed in a gradual downward trend at this point. 5 months and about 5 lb of weight lost. i guess that's about what to expect with No S. No stress and a gradual weight loss. Something that is sustainable. Which is what I like the best. I have been doing NoS since February and I feel great on it. Even if i know some calories in my head, I don't really count them, just passively think of what might make up a good meal and that is that. Best system ever. Well,off to run tonight. Another 4 mile run for this Friday that will be timed.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:37 pm

You are headed in the right direction. Sane lifetime eating.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Nov 18, 2013 3:29 am

took a long break from here because i was on antibiotics and kept getting sick. did a weigh in during october and it was up some but my body was pretty much messed up from the sinus infection so i didn't count it. so looks like november was my next one which i just did this weekend. was at 136.6 which was 0.4 lb more than september so overall kept it pretty stable. starting to wonder if getting below 130 is ever really a possibility again. not sure it matters to me anymore. i feel pretty good where i am and when i think back to my highest weight which was about august of 2011, i am still 13 lb or so down from that so it hasn't gone back up despite being on NoS since about Feb of 2013. 9 months of doing this and i haven't gained all the weight back, only about 4-7 lb. so that's really not too bad. the beginning of NoS was filled with overeating weekends so of course i gained a lot back, reaching my high in March/April which was about 4 lb more than I am now. was able to lose some and now stabilize and stay pretty active. NoS is a great long term system, I am seeing. I had a few days here and there when I "messed up" or had red, but i really didn't let it bother me like i used to obsess about "messing up". My year mark of actually doing this the right way will be Feb of 2014 so not that far in the future.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 1:24 am

Sounds good. What were you eating when you weighed under 130? Could you imagine eating like that again soon? Probably not. It's likely you're doing the right thing for yourself.

And you never know what will happen after a longer period of time.

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:47 pm

Hi MJ,
From reading your thread, you really push yourself in life to do well! And that includes controlling your eating, so NoS is probably less control that you normally feel comfortable with! All the more reason to be pleased with your progress. Great job for sticking to it and not giving in to diethead!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:20 pm

oolala53 wrote:Sounds good. What were you eating when you weighed under 130? Could you imagine eating like that again soon? Probably not. It's likely you're doing the right thing for yourself.

And you never know what will happen after a longer period of time.

I have been thinking about this, and when I was under 130, a few things were taking place. I was eating a lot of "diet" or "sugar free" foods. None of thses things fulfilled the craving for sweets. In fact, I believe that for me, fake sugar has the effect of making it worse. The other thing happening under 130 was I was engaging in my fitness pal and tracking too much, which added to my anxiety. I was also having a lot of binge eating and would feel incredibly guilty. Now I don't really have binges any more and I stop when full. I don't have that sick overeating feeling I used to get because even when I do overdo it, it is not as bad. So, I do not want to go back to that. However, I like how you talk about a longer period of time. I did go from 141 to 136 in about 7 months. Only reason I got to 141 was because in the first few months of nos, I did overdo it. So I saw a person eating all diety food go from 132 to 141 in just a few months. Now that I eat good food and no diet stuff, maybe I will get back to near my old weight. Just not in a rapid manner. And that really is ok.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:22 pm

automatedeating wrote:Hi MJ,
From reading your thread, you really push yourself in life to do well! And that includes controlling your eating, so NoS is probably less control that you normally feel comfortable with! All the more reason to be pleased with your progress. Great job for sticking to it and not giving in to diethead!

Thanks. As you know, diethead can be pretty powerful. And I really don't want to be back in that hell. I am doing a lot bette rno

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:42 pm

Oh, I remember how imprisoned I felt when in may late 30's, I went on a diet and workout regime that took me down to 19% fat and around 10 lbs. less than I weigh now. At first, I felt okay, but after awhile, I felt fearful of eating anything I didn't prepare myself. And my knees hurt, and, etc. It took a long time to mourn that body. Not worth it! Now, if it happened with more moderate habits, I wouldn't complain. But it's a red herring.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 4:14 pm

thanks for the positive comments . had a rough few days, haven't exercised since tuesday and supposed to run 4 miles sunday. i still am going to run tomorrow and then get back into my exercise routine. just have felt yucky, congested, haven't wanted to.
so i weighed myself after the thanksgiving holiday and pretty happy to say i'm still just 137. really hope to stay in that range for my january weigh in in about 4 weeks. pretty impressed at my ability to stay beween 136-137.5 over the last about 6 months. would of course like to be less, but hey, i haven't had any radical changes in my clothing. been pretty much wearing the same size and same measurements since about may/june. that is a good goal. don't know what i want to change in the next year if anything. i no longer feel this intense push toward sweets. i enjoy sweets but usually just want a nice cup of tea.
as far as my year in review, i have come a long way . food isn't my first choice to self medicate. i have been trying to do other things, exercise, drink water/tea, stuff like that. i no longer feel this intense desire on saturday at midnight to start my S day. i used to seriously stay up until midnight friday/sat to start my s day. now if i fall asleep, oh well. not that huge desire... i'd say that is a definite improvement.

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 4:49 pm

Hi MJ,
Thanks for the update. You seem to be at a good place mentally. I feel like that too, although I am still a little overweight. You have been at this a lot longer than me, so I feel inspired by your story--both for your tenacity and for your perseverance while maintaining.

I often tell myself that if I stop losing weight, I will NoS on, because I can't imagine further restrictions in my life around food. There are other life things to focus on, and you seem to be finding those too!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:14 am

automatedeating wrote:Hi MJ,
Thanks for the update. You seem to be at a good place mentally. I feel like that too, although I am still a little overweight. You have been at this a lot longer than me, so I feel inspired by your story--both for your tenacity and for your perseverance while maintaining.

I often tell myself that if I stop losing weight, I will NoS on, because I can't imagine further restrictions in my life around food. There are other life things to focus on, and you seem to be finding those too!

I was reading your stats on the bottom and i was at the same point as you when i started "dieting"... i was wearing a tight size 10. i got down to a really low weight for my height, was not happy, gained weight, started NoS and then finally felt like i was living again! i am about 5'5" so a little taller. but for me a size 10 was 150 lb so for me that was just into overweight. i've never been overweight before and couldn't handle it, started counting calories . became obsessed with it. after i lost about 28 lb realized i couldn't do it... it was actually causing more binges! so when i started NoS for the second time I was pretty satisfied. i love the idea of just having my meals and not having to worry about snacks. i like having freedom on the weekend. it is a great feeling. there are still hard times but i dont' let it turn into full blown what the hell syndrome anymore like i used to. it definitely takes practice. of the 28 i lost i am up about 15 but it's ok becuase i do feel better overall and i'm more fit. sometimes it's not about the weight, it's about how you feel.

NoSnacker · Post by **NoSnacker** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 9:39 am

Hi there thanks for stopping by my thread and your comment!

You have inspired me that for sure this too will pass, maybe not go away 100% but will be manageable!

NoSnacker · Post by **NoSnacker** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 10:00 am

Thanks again for stopping by my post....I have decided instead of marking my S' days red when I binge I'll leave as yellow as it was intended to be on the habitcal, red's are failures..

NoSnacker · Post by **NoSnacker** » Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:05 pm

Stopping by to say hi and hope all is well!!

The holidays are finally over so the temptations should dwindle

Happy New Year!

Graham · Post by **Graham** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 7:38 am

Hi ,MJ, returning your visit, best wishes for 2014

Graham

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 1:39 am

thanks everyone for the comments . hope we all had a great holiday weeks... now it's time to get back to n days tomorrow. i still am keeping up my running. i may skip the january weigh in but haven't decided yet. i know for sure it will be more than i've seen in a while but maybe i'm ok with that. had some indulgences but also lots of moderation. didn't really feel stuffed on any holiday, just satisfied. big change from where i was at a year ago. i had the overindulgence of my life on dec 31, 2012. i remember that as one of my worst binge days. this was a very moderate new years eve. i am finally learning how to enjoy holidays without overdoing it. i am hoping for a good 2014 and trying to set in place some great n day habits and hopefully my s days will be a bit more moderate and enjoyable as well. that's my hope for everyone on here.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 3:47 am

What a difference a year makes!

You left a comment on automated eating's thread about how you had dropped No S after a few months and gaining weight, but that you see its wisdom now. Would it be all right with you if I send it to the members of the No S team on Sparkpeople? It's a small team, and we could use another voice to calm down those who are new and doubting.

If not, no worries.

By the way, on my No S team and on a team I'm a leader of on bingeing, I often say to newcomers, " I'm looking forward to how you'll feel in a year. Stick with it and you'll likely feel like a different person regarding food. Maybe not 'cured,' but much better." If I could only convince them to have faith and hold on!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 1:13 am

Sure you can pass it along.I haven't been on spark for sometime. I think I even forgot my password because I keep getting messages! But sure, any knowledge is to be passed on. This is only my experience of course.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:53 pm

Decided to start tracking weight again. 138.4 about 9 days into my cycle. This will be my new weigh week because for us female friends, I think our weight is at its lowest then. I look back at March 2013 and I believe this is where I was then. So, looks like even with wild weekends at times, I maintained 135-140. If I want to lose weight this year I need to work on cutting down on mindless eating. But on the bright side it is great to have stayed around the same for a year!

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:24 pm

Great!! You know what Reinhard and all us NoSers say: maintenance is more important than weight loss!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:20 pm

I believe that. I am glad I haven't returned to my all time highest weight. Maintaining in a 5 lb range is really good in a year's time. My lowest since age 30 was 123 around February 2012. By the next year before I even started nos I had gained around 9 from there (binges, self hate, etc) so it is clear 125ish is pretty much unattainable without drastic dieting. So I know now that is not where I want to be. Started nos around 132 in Feb 2013 and went up 8 initially. Probably due to a reaction from starving for a year or so. After that, have stayed in the 5 lb range 135-140. I am ok with that now. Used to see that as too heavy when my goal was 120. But now I will take it if it means freedom from counting calories and diet mentality.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:55 pm

Please remind me how tall you are...

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:53 am

i think i'm technically 5 foot 4 and 1/2 but i usually say 5 foot 5.... i think i'm right in the middle range as far as BMI so pretty happy with that.

i have decided to start a new habit today. there is a person who i have been friends in the past. we used to be close but lately it is just friends in a competitive way and i decided i will no longer be looking at her social networking page because most of the stuff she posts on there bothers me. why you may ask? why do I let it bother me? i don't know, but it does... so i need to distance myself from her cyberspace so to speak. to me, it appears that she's bragging about herself, her fitness, how she's morally superior to others due to her philosophies, etc. she has all these motivational quotes that basically insinuate that everyone else is eating garbagy food and her choices are the best. so my new habit to track is going to be not going to her social networking page, not checking at what she posts, etc. day 1 tomorrow!

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Tue Jan 28, 2014 1:12 am

MJ, I had to completely quit facebook about 4 years ago and I have not once regretted it. I found I was constantly comparing myself to all my friends' perfect lives. It was not good for my mental health.

At the time I thought that it would be temporary, because how could I be a modern American and not use Facebook, right?

Well, it has worked out JUST fine, and I am much better off for it.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Tue Jan 28, 2014 2:50 am

Yes I quit Facebook too for similar reasons! Best decision ever. Besides I hear Facebook is going to be passÃ© in the next few years so I guess we're just ahead of the times!

Mj I think we all have a friend like that. I have a friend that was super competitive. I told her we bought new bikes and the next week she told me that they had bought new & better bikes. We bought a car camper and they went out and bought a huge rv.

When I told her my husband was building an off-roading car and was going to be in a race, her husband went out and bought a high-end race car and started racing. In the end, we bought a new house and the last time I saw her was when she came to see it. I guess her husband drew the line at buying a new house.

Anyway, good luck with your new habit. I think it's a good one. Friends should lift us up & make us feel good about ourselves. Not the opposite!

Linda

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:47 pm

Well, doing pretty well today with my first day of not going to the friends page. Have been tempted but I realize whatever she wants to say is none of my concern. If I truly desire to get some distance, I need to start by not knowing the workings of her mind or what passive aggressive/disguised as motivational picture, quote etc she is focused on. The tough part is thatshe posts on my friends posts but I am going to try to stay away from those threads when she feels passionately about something. So day 1 is going great. Just got to keep it in my head. 21 days to a habit. But no s days with this one!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Jan 28, 2014 7:53 pm

automatedeating wrote:MJ, I had to completely quit facebook about 4 years ago and I have not once regretted it. I found I was constantly comparing myself to all my friends' perfect lives. It was not good for my mental health.

At the time I thought that it would be temporary, because how could I be a modern American and not use Facebook, right? Well, it has worked out JUST fine, and I am much better off for it.

i have considered going completely FB free but there are some problems with doing that . I have a number of dear friends who i know i would completely lose contact with if i did that and i don't want to lose that connection. we share our stories, pictures, and it's the best way for us to keep in touch across the country. what has worked for me is starting a seperate list and then when i don't want to unfriend someone (because i don't really want to hurt them, i just want less contact) i will add them to the list of friends who dont' appear on my newsfeed. with this particular friend, one time i did unfriend her and she got very upset about it (this was years ago) so i added her again... my explanation was just that i was limiting it to family but then she brought up how i was still friends with (mutual friend) and i couldn't keep it going... so anyway here i am in this situation where i don't enjoy this person's posts but don't want her to create drama in the lives of our mutual friends so i have to put her on "mute" so to speak.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:00 pm

Lpearlmom wrote:Yes I quit Facebook too for similar reasons! Best decision ever. Besides I hear Facebook is going to be passÃ© in the next few years so I guess we're just ahead of the times!

Mj I think we all have a friend like that. I have a friend that was super competitive. I told her we bought new bikes and the next week she told me that they had bought new & better bikes. We bought a car camper and they went out and bought a huge rv.

When I told her my husband was building an off-roading car and was going to be in a race, her husband went out and bought a high-end race car and started racing. In the end, we bought a new house and the last time I saw her was when she came to see it. I guess her husband drew the line at buying a new house.

Anyway, good luck with your new habit. I think it's a good one. Friends should lift us up & make us feel good about ourselves. Not the opposite!

Linda

that would be so frustrating! it's like she has to "outdo" you every time. that's how it is with this woman. she started out just a workout buddy at work and now it's like all she talks about (counting calories, guess what that thing we ate had in it!). i tried to tell her repeatedly that i'm not interested in diet talk anymore but she won't stop. so i slowly stopped contact with her, things got less and less frustrating. she still would ask me about running, talk about her yoga, weightlifting, spinning classes, etc. i tried to give a quick answer and then change the subject. but then she has these posts (really pictures) where it shows some athletic woman and then some petty little saying about how determined she is/how much less determined other people are... i just get sick of it after a while. everything is always about how she is the one who knows it all and these other people dont' know anything. the pictures/sayings are almost vindictive like she is trying to show everyone up. other people's diets and how they are doing it wrong. how they just need to do it like her. etc. i just can't live with that in my life anymore. it's some form of competitiveness but i cant' have it be about diet/food because i am trying so hard to not go back to that mentality and that is what she is stuck on.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:10 pm

just had a really fantastic discovery today!

I started my No S about a year ago this time in 2013. I tried to start 1-25-13 but didn't really start until 2-3-13. Either way, that means i am nearing a year of NoS! i will post about it this weekend to celebrate my one year-ness! Wanted to put in there what I had learned and what I had struggled with. really need to give this some thought!

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Wed Jan 29, 2014 1:41 am

Whooo-Hooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 12:43 pm

Happy No S Birthday!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 2:00 pm

one year post is up! Also doing great with my other habit. I have not checked my old fitness friend's page for 2 days now! And i'm learning to forgive myself and forgive her for whatever she did to upset me. because she doesn't even know it was bothering me, and that is my thing to own and not hers! i can just go about my life and not let it bother me. i am so thrilled to have tried NoS for a year and stuck with it. the first time i gave up due to fear but i see it is really a great way to maintain. i want to be an old timer on here and that is my goal! to do this for life.

jw · Post by jw » Thu Jan 30, 2014 3:02 pm

Many Happy Returns! And I love your last post, where you just walk away from that imaginary fight!

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 4:23 pm

Great attitude MJ!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Feb 10, 2014 6:06 pm

well i passed my one year mark and then i got some bad news about a friend who has cancer and passed away. went to the funeral and as a result did some evaluating of my eating habits . i feel that the best way to go at this juncture is to start eating more "real" food. what i mean by that is cutting out things like lean cuisines and sport bars. i went to the grocery this weekend and bought some things i have never had. ezekial bread, organic items for snack foods, big bag of almonds, etc. what i was eating for breakfast was decent... luna bar, banana, tea... but then i realized my lunch and dinner eating were not so good. i was buying too many convenience foods. decided to make a transition to organic and watching when something has a million ingredients if it is really the healthy choice. i have already eliminated artificial sweeteners, this is just being more aware and trying to make the best choices. all of those artificial ingredients can be hard on the body, maybe wearing down organs faster... so the best thing to do is eat real food. this is a new venture for me. also doing great with not checking that friend's page. started at the beginning of feb, it is day 10 already and i feel like it's going well. i haven't had any feelings of animosity because i don't involve myself in her life anymore . if she's there i talk to her but other than that, i avoid the unpleasant. probably the way it needs to be from here on out. so begins my little experiment called "cut out the junk" and we'll see how it goes. on S days if i want something that is junky that's ok but trying to clean up my diet the rest of the week if at all possible.

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Mon Feb 10, 2014 7:16 pm

It's neat how there can be a natural progression to food changes over time, MJ.
Also I consider not checking your (ex)friend's page as "cutting out the junk", too!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:36 pm

Monthly weigh in the same 138.4. I think I am stuck there for a while! But that's ok. My next adventure is to try eating less processed food and more organic when possible.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 1:09 am

Just popped in to say "hi", MJ. Hope you come back soon.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:31 pm

Thanks! i am still here. I did take a 2 week vacation, part of it was a cruise... about that... i am at a cautious point right now as they gave us desserts every night regardless of whether we asked for them or not . so i tried moderation most days we were there. now i am at a critical point because i did get used to moderately eating desserts and snacks . this could potentially be a problem if i don't get my habit back on track which i have today (monday) and hope to the rest of the week. one thing was interesting, when i had the snack/dessert i didn't go hog wild, i ate very restrained. in the past i know i would have gone crazy or gotten the extra large ice cream. i just got a small bowl or the sampler desserts on the cruise menu (because i knew they were going to bring me something). but that doesn't mean i can eat it moderately every day for life. going to stick to eating desserts moderately on the weekends. I have to get this back for the rest of the month and get used to not eating sweets again until saturday/sunday. i like that i was able to somehow moderately eat sweets but i know that is not sustainable. know thyself... most importantly. haven't checked my weight yet. my usual monthly weigh in is on friday. i think i may have gained some weight but we will see. i certainly felt like i did! oh well, it was fun. now back to real life. and i did use the fitness center and walk the track while i was there so i feel like i did my best to counter any damage done by my eating.

oh i almost forgot... right before my trip i was starting my plunge into more organic eating. it was going well and i was really enjoying it. then i went on the trip and you know most of that was probably not organic and unprocessed.

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:58 pm

Welcome back MJ!

I think there's so much to celebrate here! You went on a cruise (yay!), you enjoyed your food but didn't binge or feel guilty, you stayed active while on the cruise. Awesome!

I think you're wise to return to the day-to-day simplicity of NoS. I think people that have a lifetime of moderate eating can do what you did on that cruise..... all the time. I don't think I'm one of those people, and if you don't think so either, then NoS is just perfect for us. It allows us to enjoy, but gives us simple boundaries that don't require any mental gymnastics. Moderately eating treats every day requires mental gymnastics (for me). Maybe in 10 years it won't! And trust me, if that's the case, I'll tell everyone about in my 10-yr testimonial!

Welcome back!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:52 pm

i think if i tried that (moderate eating) i would see the following scenario happen. i would do well at it for about a week or two and then bad habits would start again. mainly justifying eating desserts, snacks, seconds just because "i wanted to" or "just a little bit". it may start out good intentioned but i can't see it working for me for my whole life. basically my mind starts to make excuses and things unravel. i would like to say maybe someday but i'm not sure i could do it ever. the thing about a cruise is you can distance yourself from food by doing one of the other 100s of activities on board. we stopped at two locations, we got off the boat. there wasn't a huge chance to eat non stop at those destinations. on the boat we mainly just got a quick breakfast, quick lunch at the buffet and then our sit down dinner. it pretty much eliminated any chance for snacks. i think i may have had 1 or 2 snacks the whole time. so really it was just the desserts for dinner every night (i didn't have any for lunch) and for breakfast i ate a pretty standard eggs, oatmeal, fruit type of breakfast... none of it was really all that bad. so i know if i was home and was aware of all the snacks in my house this approach would not be the same. i had a great time, ate moderately and realized my life is not going to be the same as the structure artificially imposed by the boat's activities... so i really am back to NoS this week. Monday, Tuesday were fine. Now it's Wednesday. I really want to have an all green week again and I think I will.... i plan on weighing Friday morning which should be enough time for it to be fairly accurate with all the cruise bloat going down.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:44 am

weigh in post vacation was 138.6 so not so horrible. was only a fraction of a lb gained. i'll take that... considering i had one week i didn't really follow a plan, just ate what i wanted. i think staying active definitely counteracted what i ate on vacation. and i have successfully created a new habit of ignoring the person's facebook page i was trying to ignore... so success there!

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 1:24 am

You bet that is a victory! Most people gain at least 3 pounds on a cruise.

I don't know about you, but I'd take a 3 pound weight gain and still be glad to have been on a cruise.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 2:09 pm

thanks - yeah had a great time so it's only 0.2 lb difference - will definitely take that! considering i had dessert every night and richer foods than what I normally eat. goal for this month is stay active and keep with clean eating as much as i can.

Sweetness · Post by **Sweetness** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 1:02 am

Someday I want to go on a cruise! NICE! You did great, I would have gained 5 for sure!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 11:51 pm

yeah i am definitely happy that it wasn't more and ready to get back to NoS! Good week last week and I didn't have a red day. Got a little bit sick on Saturday night into sunday so slowed down what i ate a bit. this week is off to a good start but you never know when temptation will hit. i try to keep a pretty moderate week now and the most important thing - don't beat myself up if i stray. the key for me is if i want a treat at an event, i might take one but wrap it up to save in my freezer until an S day. it has worked well. i am not saying "no" just saying "not now" and most people understand.

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:04 am

I've had surprisingly good results with smiling and praising whatever the dessert is, but not taking it. Some people don't even notice. If they do, and press me further, I just continue smiling and say, No thanks....I just ate, or I'm just about to eat, or I had lots of sweets yesterday, or I'm having lots of sweets tomorrow, or a myriad of other innocuous comments. I'm getting pretty good at it!

chani8 · Post by **chani8** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 2:46 pm

Saving your treats until a Yes S day is an awesome feat! Now that I'm eating more treats, I'm going to have to learn this.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 7:41 pm

I'm having one of those days where I don't even care to think about what i want to have for dinner or even make anything... sometimes that can get dangerous but other times it's good. it gets dangerous when i just start putting whatever i can find onto my plate. it's good when it means i just eat something and then move on with my day... i think i'm going to do a yoga workout and then think about what i want later . i have some eggs i probably need to use up so maybe i'll make something with that. also have some chili i could make... i am sure i will come up with something interesting.

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:08 pm

I love chili!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:48 pm

I had the chili.... and then some other stuff.... i posted this on the general board for support but thought i'd share here too.

As you all know i've been doing NoS for over a year. I have had 2 failure days in a row now. yesterday i had some ice cream and chocolate, it was actually rather small amount so although a failure it wasn't that bad. today i ate breakfast, lunch, just as usual. something came over me the last day or so where i'm feeling just "blah". none of my usual foods really appeal to me anymore. i ate a piece of pizza, granola bar, ice cream - few teaspoons, m and m's and then that wasn't enough so found 2 thin mints and half a pbj sandwich. that's a lot of food and i usually don't eat dinner until 4. this was about 2:50 that this all went down. the only way i can describe it is "something came over me". now it's in the past, i'd like a green for tomorrow Friday and i promised myself unless i'm hungry i won't be eating anything else today. my question for all of you long termers is... when this happens does it usually signify something for you? or is it just random? i have been more depressed than usual, haven't had much "me" time. perhaps that is the problem. also, i allowed myself to give in wednesday which led to justification today that since i had already ruined my week, might as well do it again. does it come in waves for you all? i am also trying to do this thing where i eat cleaner. perhaps the problem is with the organic food i've been eating, i miss my old favorites during the week like a piece of pizza (which woudl have actually been an acceptable part of dinner). perhaps if i want to keep this organic situation going (which i really do) i need to look into organic pizza? i am sure there are some good brands. another thing that came up this week is a friend of mine is doing the 21 day fix and she keeps telling me how much weight she has lost. i think it is just starting to get tempting again to try another 'diet" but i know i won't because i know what she is doing anyway. it's jsut a plan to eat small portions and eat cleaner. i can do that without a "program". anyway, whatever came over me i am going to try to have a good friday because i do want a green day tomorrow. just wondered for you all why it tends to happen or if you notice any patterns? i suppose probably my feelings of depression and restlessness have a lot to do with it. i just need to stop turning to food when i have feelings. it's a hard lesson to learn and a life long lesson. no matter how good we are at NoS most of the time, these things can still happen. i actually have not had a week like this in a long time. it's kind of scary... probably been a good 6 months since i've felt like this.

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:18 pm

Hi MJ,
I don't have a magic solution answer for you, but I want you to know that I am sorry you are going through this rough patch. I am always here to listen and lend support.

And, separately: I can see that the eating clean thing is important, so I don't mean to talk you out of it, but I CAN say that just reading about you eating clean brings out my inner food rebel and makes me want to eat junk.

So perhaps you are dealing a bit with deprivation effects by giving yourself more strict eating.

chani8 · Post by **chani8** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:02 am

I think it's good news that you haven't felt like this in 6 months. Do you think it's from the pressure of this mod to your diet?

Trying to eat organic is great, and I also try for that, but no need to make your self depressed about it. Going for 80-20 or even 60-40 is an accomplishment.

Going clean causes weight loss because the person is eating less calorie dense food. When your friend gets tired of so many veggies, she's likely to gain it all back, unless she's a No S'er. Could it be you weren't eating enough calories? That can cause moodiness and lead to binging.

I hope you get your green day! I'm cheering you on!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:07 pm

been thinking a lot about the clean eating and maybe it does make me feel more hungry because there are not all the preservatives. maybe my body processes it faster and so i get hungrier. i think what it is is that there are not many options for quick meals for lunch so i was getting tired of my few options i had. when i was eating the lean cuisines i had a little more variety. i know i can get more variety with the organic options but i just need to try. i'm sure i'm doing more like 80/20 right now, i try really hard to stay away from preservatives but i know some of it will be in there. and i know my body does feel a lot better when i stick to organic. i witnessed it for several weeks in myself where i didn't want to go back to eating the other stuff. i think what happened was the "perfect storm" of feeling down and depressed, body image issues, the proximity of all kind of junk foods in my house, being alone with time to burn, emotional eating, not enough variety in my diet. oh and the fact that wednesday was "ruined" so it didn't matter if thursday was. that was my thinking. i really have to train myself to not turn to food. the thing was i wasn't even hungry, i just wanted to eat the pizza (which would have been ok if i stopped there). i wanted to do it because i wanted to... that was the reason. i didn't make a good effort to stop myself. didnt' even try. i could have waited for an S day but I didn't because i didnt' want to. i guess we all will have that. and it's ok.

so going forward the plan is to buy a wider variety for my lunch meal. i think that is what got me down... "oh, this again.... " caused some rebellion. and then remembering the ice cream and chocolate bar that was supposed to be for S days.

oh well, we all learn... thanks for your support